Chapter 1: A Necessary Disappearance: The Imperial Consorts Leave Ba Sing Se
Summary:
From a Tumblr prompt: “What happens if I do this?”
I strongly urge you to read the chapter A Nocturnal Discourse: Wu Shares Some Family History in Tales of Republic City: Part Two before you read this chapter. It will make a tremendous difference.
Chapter Text
"Legally speaking, you are required to stay in the palace." Gun fussed with one of his cuffs, unnecessarily. He'd always had an anxious way about him, always ready to cringe and plead. It worked very well on her sister-in-law, who enjoyed nothing more than intimidating all of the various sycophants around her. The bitch.
"Without Zaichun? I think not." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, taking a moment to compose herself. It wasn't that she wouldn't cry for her husband; she had and she would, she knew. She wasn't going to do it in front of anyone else, however. It simply wasn't the Fire Nation way. She frowned at one of the servants, who had jostled a vase on its way into its protective packing. "None of us want to be here and you know why."
"Wen is staying."
"You there! Watch yourself!" She glared at the servant as he kowtowed to the floor before turning back to Gun. "Wen doesn't have the sense of a hippo cow and you know it. Hou-Ting will stash her in one of the remote pavilions and forget about her and both of them will be just as happy that way." She pursed her lips and took in a deep breath. "What happens if I do this?"
Gun met her gaze. "Hou-Ting would be within her legal rights to demand that you be returned to the palace if you were still in the Earth Kingdom. Per ancient treaty, Firelord Zuko should also return you to the palace if you were to go back to the Fire Nation and the Queen demanded your return. Would he actually do so, however?" A slight shrug. "I do not know the Firelord well enough to say. Hou-Ting could always release you from the court, of course."
She bit back a laugh that was merely a breath away from being a snarl. "You and I both know she won't do that."
"I find it...unlikely." Gun was doing his best to be polite but even he couldn't gloss over what they both knew was true. Without Zaichun to keep his sister at bay, the Queen would take perverse pleasure in making the lives of certain of her sister-in-laws as tortuous as possible. Wen, while the prettiest, had always been too dim to interest her and Ji was simply too diplomatic for even Hou-Ting to find fault with. The same could not be said for either Yu or herself, however. Hou-Ting would go out of her way to make her miserable, that she knew. She wouldn't be in any danger, however, unlike Yu. Without Zaichun's protection Xiaozheyi would have her killed before the year was out. She was afraid for Yu.
She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again. "I can't stay here, any more than Yu can. I don't think the Firelord would force me to come back." A grimace. "Although I can't say as going home is my first choice." At his inquisitive look she scowled. "I don't relish moving back to the Fire Nation, not after all these years. And what would I do? Move back in with my parents?" The thought horrified her. She loved her parents, but she had left their home twenty-five years back to marry Zaichun and it had been such a relief to live in a court where her non-bending status was looked on as a positive thing instead of a source of shame to her family. She could not go back to to sit there, day after day after day until she died, a now childless widow who couldn't even bring a flicker of flame under her control.
Gun folded his hands within his sweeping sleeves. "There is, of course, another option." He gazed out into the hallway past her rooms, watching as her servants continued to scurry about, gathering her things together. He glanced over at her. "The Earth Kingdom has no extradition treaty with the United Republic unless it concerns criminals. Moving out of your husband's home is not considered a crime there. They would not extradite you for that, regardless of what the Queen might say or do."
"Zai would never want you to stay." Yu came from behind her, taking her hand in hers. She was wan, her eyes red-rimmed with tears, her hand trembling, those unruly curls of hers sagging out of their pins.
"What will we do with you?" She reached into her pocket for a fresh handkerchief as Yu's tears spilled over her cheeks. "Gun, we can't leave her here. It's not safe."
"It most certainly is not," Gun replied, and bowed at Yu. "Your Highness, we must get you out of the palace."
"But..." Yu swallowed. "My son..."
She exchanged a glance with Gun. Yu had never accepted that Zaichun's first wife had taken her son away from her, had never stopped trying to somehow win him back. Not that it mattered anyhow. The boy had been utterly and totally ruined. He was a wretched, vicious thing; illiterate, crude, unconscionably cruel towards his servants and prone to tantrums when he did not immediately get his way. Zaichun had despised the boy and had always blamed himself for not standing up to Xiaozheyi in the first place about it.
If only their daughter had lived. Her beautiful green-eyed daughter, the one that had looked so much like her father. Leaving her shrine behind would be the only regret she had about leaving this place.
The Grand Secretariat cleared his throat and waved his hand, waiting for the servants to scurry out and close the door behind them before he bowed at Yu again. "Your Highness," he said, his tone weary, and for the first time she noticed that his eyes were reddened as well. "Imperial Consort Narumi is correct. It is simply not safe for you here any longer. I cannot guarantee your security if you remain." He moved slightly closer to her. "I have an obligation to my prince to see to it that all of his consorts are safe and cared for."
"If I go to Republic City, couldn't she come with me?" She took Yu's hand in her own again. "Hou-Ting couldn't extradite her either, correct?"
Gun shook his head. "She could not. And in your case, Your Highness, moving to Republic City would be enough. Hou-Ting will be incensed at losing her quarry but she would not bother trying to assassinate you. In her mind, that would be giving you more attention and validation than she believes you deserve. Better to pretend you didn't even exist. Perhaps Republic City would not be your first choice, but I believe that you would live your life there undisturbed." His face darkened as he turned back to Yu. "However, while I believe the Queen would feel much the same when it comes to you I do not believe that Her Highness Xiaozheyi would be so sanguine, Your Highness. I do not believe there is anywhere in this world that you may remain safe from her."
Another tear tracked down Yu's cheek. "I know how she feels about me. If even Republic City isn't safe for me then what can I do?"
"She needs to disappear, doesn't she?" She brought Yu's hand to her chest and covered it with her other hand. "That's what you're saying, Gun, isn't it?"
He nodded and his mouth trembled just slightly. "Your Highnesses, what I am telling you is that, for all intents and purposes, Imperial Consort Yu needs to die."
Yu sucked in a quick breath and dug her fingers into hers. "What does that mean, exactly?"
She scoffed with admiration. "Gun, you cunning old bastard." Zaichun had always told her that Gun was far more than he seemed. She was starting to understand what he had meant.
He bowed and allowed her a slight smile. "As you say, Your Highness." His expression sobered. "It means, Your Highness, that for all intents and purposes, you will appear to have died. We will hold a funeral for you and your family will be compensated, as per protocol. You will be provided with a new identity and will live the rest of your life that way."
"I...you sayin' I can't go home to my folks anymore?" Yu was upset enough that her accent slipped, the vowels broadening and slurring.
"I regret very deeply to say that you cannot, Your Highness. In fact, they would be safer if you did not."
"Oh," Yu murmured, and then sank down to one of her benches, her face buried into her hands.
"No one else can know about this, Your Highness." Gun had met her eyes. "The less people that know about it the better."
She nodded. "Of course." She glanced at Yu before returning her gaze to Gun. "You can be assured of my discretion. The last thing I would want to do is expose her to any more danger. It isn't like I would tell Wen, after all." She thought for a moment. "Ji would help, though. If you asked."
Gun shook his head. "It is not that I doubt Imperial Consort Ji's intelligence or discretion. It is simply better that no one outside of this room knows."
Yu glanced up, eyes resolute. Yu had always understood how to do whatever was necessary, after all. "How would you do it, then?"
He frowned and began to pace. "I am not sure. An illness, perhaps? Some sort of accident."
She shook her head. "Suicide." At their looks, she raised a hand. "Hear me out. Yu, you could go to Zaichun's summer pavilion on the other side of the lake, let it be known that you need privacy to grieve, take only a handmaid or two. Women you trust implicitly. While you are there, you can write a suicide note, insinuating that you will be casting yourself into the lake. Then you can leave while your women pretend for another week or so that you are still there in seclusion." She turned to Gun. "You can procure an already dead body, can you not? Someone of Yu's general age and looks? If you dress her in Yu's clothes and put her into the lake, by the time they got waterbenders to locate the body the face would be too disfigured to really tell who she was. Everyone will just assume. After the funeral your ladies can discreetly leave the palace and join you wherever it is that Gun thinks will be safe."
They both stared at her before Yu leapt up and grabbed her around the waist. "You're brilliant," she cried, and she felt her face begin to warm.
"It might work," Gun mused, frowning. "It very well might work." He nodded. "I can do whatever is necessary on my end. Are any of your women ones that you can trust, Your Highness? Women who would keep your secret and go with you into exile?"
"Fan," she immediately replied. "Fan would, I know. And perhaps Jun. I can speak to Fan."
"Please be discreet, Your Highness. I beg of you."
"I will, Gun. I promise."
"As for you, Your Highness," Gun turned to her, "I believe that it would be best for you to leave as soon as possible." He tugged at his sleeves. "The Representative of the Earth Kingdom on the United Republic Council is an old friend. I will send a missive to her tonight, asking her to assist you in finding a home. I have already informed the Queen that you are relocating to the Jade Pavilion. We will continue to move your things there so she will not suspect that anything is amiss. Is there anything in particular that you would like to take with you to Republic City? I don't suggest you leave it here." He looked pained. "I cannot guarantee that Hou-Ting won't destroy it out of spite."
"Oh, she would, the bitch." She smiled at Yu's inadvertent laugh. "I have a few things that I would want, yes."
"The Satomobile, Narumi. Zai would want you to have the car." Yu took her hands in hers again. "You were the only one that would ride in it with him, after all."
"If you tell your servants to put those things you want aside I will have them put into storage. As it were." Gun cleared his throat. "I will ensure that they will be sent on to you there. I will also make sure that any and all of your funds are transferred into your name at Republic Bank." His smile was merely a shadow across his lips. "I think I might be able to arrange something with the Satomobile."
"Not my name," she blurted out before she realized she was going to say anything. "If I am going to make a new life then I want a new life. I don't want to be known as Zaichun's widow. If I am, I'll never be left alone, not by anyone in that city that cares about the Earth Kingdom crown. It's enough that they'd know I'm a widow."
"As Your Highness wishes, of course." Gun bowed. "In three days time the Queen will be hosting her annual Dragon Boat festivities. That would, I believe, be an auspicious time for you to leave the palace, Your Highness. The Queen, as you know, tends to become rather festive on that night and I have already informed her that it would be beyond inappropriate for any of her brother's widows to be present for the celebration." A moue of distaste. "Even she had to allow that it was too much to ask any of you to attend."
"Two weeks after her own brother's death." Oh, if she had only been a firebender! She would have burned this palace to the ground and let it smolder in her wake.
"The bitch," Yu echoed, letting her natural accent take over.
"Is three days enough time for you, Your Highness?"
She sighed, and nodded. "It'll have to be."
"Then I will leave you now. I have many things to arrange." He bowed at them both in turn. "I will return tomorrow, Your Highnesses."
"Thank you, Gun." They both watched as he left, shutting the door behind him. She turned to Yu, pressing down for a moment on her wedding ring, an imperial jade cabochon surrounded with seed pearls, a perfect match to her own. Zaichun had given them to all four of his consorts. He'd never slept with Ji, of course; she had married him for political connections and had never wanted a husband in the first place and he had always respected her wishes, the two of them becoming great friends instead of lovers. Ji was grieving him as well, she knew. Wen had been fertile, but after she'd miscarried for the fifth time he'd no longer felt he could put her through it again. Wen was just as happy with her candies and her endless embroidered tapestries and her poodlemonkeys, after all. No, it had been she and Yu that he'd spent his nights with, the three of them entangled in each other, an unlikely connection. Zaichun with his incisive intelligence and his deep love of anything modern, Yu with her sensible street smarts and her bawdy humor and herself, sharp-tempered and with an even sharper tongue to go along with it. She still could not believe it was all over. She wanted, more desperately than anything else in her life, to go back in time and somehow change it all. She had lost her husband and now, in a matter of days, would lose her wife as well. She turned to look at Yu, her eyes filling up.
"Oh, don't cry, please don't. I'll find a way to get in contact with you, I swear I will," Yu took her face in her hands and kissed her. "Don't cry, Narumi. Don't cry. I can't take it."
"Don't you dare do a single thing that will expose yourself. Do you hear me?" She grasped Yu's shoulders and shook her. "The only way I am going to manage this is if I know you're safe somewhere."
"She can't live forever. Neither of them. Someday, it'll be safe."
"Not until after Xiaozheyi dies. Give me your word. Your solemn promise, Yu. Not until then. However long it takes."
"I give you my word," Yu said, and spit into her hand, holding it out, and she had to laugh despite herself.
"Is that how they do it in the Lower Ring?"
"Yes." Yu wasn't laughing, still holding her hand out.
She spat into her own hand then and they clenched them together. "Alright, then. I'm holding you to it."
"I should go and let your servants back in here." They didn't move away from each other, however. "What name will you go by, then? If not Narumi."
She tilted her chin up. "Zong."
Yu hissed in a breath. "Are you sure?"
She nodded. "I have to leave her here, the same way you'll have to leave your son. At least I can take that little part of her with me." Both of them turned to where the portrait of her daughter, eternally four years old, was hanging on the wall. "If only that small part." She fought her tears back again.
"She's with Zai now, Naru- Zong. Your precious Zong has her father now." Yu bowed towards the portrait. "I won't forget her either. I promise you." Reaching up, she dashed her own tears away. "I don't know how I am going to do this."
"You'll do it because you have to. The same way I will." She squared her shoulders. She was of the Noble House of Ogasawara. She might not be a firebender, but she had her name and her pride. "Chin up, peasant."
"Fuck off and die, aristocrat," Yu replied, and they clutched at each other until the servants finally scratched at the door, hoping to be let back in.
Chapter 2: A Shattering Insight: Yumi Trains As A Kyoshi
Summary:
From a Tumblr prompt:
“Was that supposed to hurt?”
Chapter Text
She might only have fifteen years under her belt, but she was damn sure that Peishan was the prettiest girl she'd ever seen.
Everything about her was pretty, from her long black hair to her green eyes to her dusky skin. She smelled like saltwater and her voice was sweet as honey and her little overbite drove Yumi absolutely wild. She wasn't very good with her katana and her fanwork needed...well, it needed some work, but who cared? Spirits knew she didn't care.
Sometimes she let herself fantasize that in a few years they'd get married and Peishan would keep house for her, wearing flowery dresses, waiting for her to come home, taking off her Kyoshi uniform piece by piece once she got there, letting her do whatever she wanted to. Peishan would always be glad to see her, would talk to her in that sweet, sweet voice, would let her hair down every single night instead of keeping it braided up the way she did at school. She had it all worked out, it was perfect.
She'd woken up that morning, tangled up in her too hot sheets, body on fire, aching to get back to the dream she'd been having where Peishan was sitting on her lap, magically naked, whispering into her ear as she put her hands all over her soft breasts. She'd had to run right out of the house to stick her head under the cold water of the old pump outside. She'd come up sputtering, dashing the icy drops from her face, only to find her older sister Ichika standing there in the yard, rolling her eyes at her.
"Let me guess. It's that girl you're always going on about."
"Shut your big damn mouth!" Ichika thought she knew damn everything. Eighteen wasn't all that old, for one thing, and for another it wasn't like Ichika had gone anywhere outside of the Island anyhow. Boats made her sick, something that both baffled and bemused their seafaring mother. At least she'd spent her own time away from school with their Ma, sailing throughout the south seas, joining Ma and their oldest sister Tanka when they visited various ports. Ichika wasn't ever going to leave this Island and everyone knew it.
"You girls stop squabbling out there and come in for breakfast. Yumi, you need to move it if you're going to make it on time." Da scowled at the two of them from the doorway, little Iskani hovering behind him.
"She started it," she muttered, purposefully shoving into Ichika as she passed. Ichika had never gotten all that tall, not like she was. She was better looking, though. Not that any of them could compare to baby Iskani. Somehow Ma's Southern Water Tribe and Da's Kyoshi Islander had blended in all the right ways when it came to Iskani. Even at five you could tell she was going to be a beauty. Waterbender, too, like their Ma and Tanka, already Ma's second mate. She and Ichika hadn't gotten the bending part and she looked just like Da, herself. She knew she wasn't anything to write home about in the looks department. But she was tall and strong and she could already move her katana and the fans like they were a part of her. She'd wanted to be a Kyoshi Warrior as long as she could remember and she was going to be a good one, too. She worked her ass off, yeah, but Mistress Soja always said that a good warrior carried it in her bones. Her bones wanted nothing more than the life of the sword, that she knew.
Da had breakfast on the table and plunked down tea for all of them. "Your Ma's due in port the day after tomorrow. I want all three of you to make sure your rooms are tidy so that Ayai can get in there to clean, you hear me? No need for your Ma to come home to your mess." He shot her the eye. "No kicking around after school today, either. I'm talking to you, Yumi. You get yourself straight home. I've got kegs to shift and I need your help."
"Da!" She was shoveling jook into her mouth. Ichika was always after her over how much she ate but she wasn't the one training all day, was she? Ichika's idea of training was to do something different with her hair.
"Don't you Da me."
"I don't have time! Ichika can help!" Da kept house while Ma was at sea, of course, but he also kept up the brewery his great-great grandmother had started in the big stone barn in the back. His beer was considered one of the best on the Island. He didn't make a lot of it - it was strictly his home business with only three employees, not including his daughters when he could get them - but it turned a neat profit locally and Ma exported some of it as well. There was a call for that sort of thing in Ba Sing Se, apparently. Her family wasn't rich like mainlander nobility or anything but they did alright for themselves. The bills were paid, the old family house had modern plumbing and a new roof and there was a housekeeper that came in every day to do the cleaning and the laundry and such, not that she and her sisters couldn't do all of that for themselves. As Da liked to say, he wasn't raising any hoity-toity misses. They weren't wanting for anything, though. Not like others were.
"She's going to help me as well but I need your muscle for a couple of hours."
"At least you're good for something," Ichika sniped, and she shot her the fingers. Da scowled again.
"I could not be more serious, Yumi. Straight home. Don't make me send Ichika to fetch you."
"Over my dead body," she muttered and made a face. Iskani giggled at her expression and she winked at her. Iskani, who'd been born when Tanka was already twenty, was the result of Ma figuring she was too old to worry about having a baby. As she had later told Tanka and Ichika, it wasn't over until it was really over, so better to be safe than knocked up. Ma hadn't bothered to tell her third daughter, though. They'd all known for years it wasn't something Yumi needed to worry about.
The Kyoshi Academy had dormitories but space for the junior students was limited and non-citizens of the Island were prioritized. Most of the local girls who were attending lived at home while they were in the junior program. Girls came from all over the world to try their hand. The junior program combined both academic and warrior training from the time a girl was seven until she was sixteen. The real Kyoshi training started after that. If they made the cut, that was. She was looking forward to graduating from the junior program next year. She wasn't much of a book student, although she did okay with it. Mistress Soja would kick out a girl that failed her books no matter how good a warrior she was so she'd made sure she passed all of her classes. They all learned to read and write, to do a decent job with their numbers. Culture, history, and politics, too. Quite a few of the Kyoshis eventually got positions with the nobility and knowing about those sorts of things could be the difference between ignorance and knowing if someone was planning to assassinate your client. Useful, sure, but also boring. Who cared what Hou-Ting XXII did? Or Firelord so and so? Or who was supposed to be served tea first? This year they'd even had to study the old Air Nomads, which was beyond dull. There was only, what, the old Avatar's son left? Which was sad, for sure. But that was her point. Ancient history.
There was always the possibility that she wouldn't make the cut, of course. All of the girls, once they graduated from the junior program, had to do a practical examination with their fans and katanas to see if they would continue their training. Most of them didn't; Kyoshi training was hardcore and limited to a very select group. At that point, if she made the cut, she'd move into the dormitories for the full time warriors in training and she'd stay there until she either graduated or burned out of the program. A fair amount of the girls burned out as well.
Not that she was going to be one of them. Like Ma said, being a Kyoshi was her destiny, the same way that the sea was Tanka's destiny.
She quickly swallowed her tea and bolted up from the table, dashing into the bathroom to run a comb through her short hair, brushing her teeth and running back into her bedroom to shrug into her school uniform, carefully stowing her fans in the pockets made for them. Her room was already tidy; she wasn't Ichika, who left a trail of half-used pots of lip tint, hair curlers, discarded clothing and the fashion magazines Tanka brought her back from Republic City scattered on every surface. Ma never allowed a mess on board her ship and she'd learned that lesson well in her time at sea. Back out she went, kissing Da on his cheek, grabbing up Iskani and tossing her into the air before hugging her close. "See you later, Squirt. Be good."
"Bye, Yumi!"
She slung her katana in its sheath over her back and out she ran, down the long drive to the road beyond, waving a quick hello to their housekeeper as she passed her coming the opposite direction. It was about a twenty minute walk to where the Academy was but she could easily run it in five. Peishan lived in the dormitories and was usually waiting in the yard out front to greet her. If she got there early enough she'd have a few minutes to chat before they all had to go inside. Her pace was fast and even, her only stop to swipe a handful of bright pink peonies from someone's yard, grinning to herself. She was hardly winded by the time she made it to the school; students ran every day to strengthen both their stamina and muscles. Ducking behind a copse of trees she quickly did a set of push-ups, pumping up her biceps. Never hurt a girl to look good, did it? As juniors they weren't yet entitled to armor or makeup, and she quickly rolled up her sleeves before gathering up her purloined flowers, putting a bit of a swagger into her step as she strolled into the yard, her eyes immediately going to Peishan, sitting on a bench, looking demure.
"What's shaking, Peony?" She smirked and bowed, handing over the flowers. Peishan took them from her with a little giggle.
"Good morning, Yumi." She glanced up at her through her eyelashes. "These are so pretty."
"Not as pretty as you." She couldn't stop grinning as Peishan blushed, casually pulling her katana out of its sheath and twirling it about in her fingers, the blade slicing swift and clean through the air.
"I wish I was as good with my katana as you are," Peishan said, watching as the twists became more intricate, her wrists spinning fluently as she passed it from hand to hand, raising it up until it was over her head. "You're the best in our class."
"You think so, huh?" She winked and Peishan's blush deepened. "Well, maybe I can help you out a little, give you some-"
"YUMI!" A voice rang out across the courtyard and she fumbled just slightly in her surprise; it was enough to throw off the blade's trajectory and it jolted away from her, the hilt and the upper part of the blade smashing down onto her nose, the audible crack of it forcing a deep grunt out of her as her blade clattered to the ground.
"Fuck," she gritted out, tears spurting from her eyes as the pain from her nose threatened to send her to her knees. "Oh fuck!"
"Yumi! Are you okay?" Peishan stood, eyes wide, flowers forgotten on the bench beside her. "No, you're hurt! You're bleeding everywhere!"
She scoffed. "Was that supposed to hurt?" She attempted a cocky grin but failed miserably as her nose started to throb along with her rapidly beating heart.
Paishan reached for her but immediately stepped back as Mistress Soja strode her way towards them. "Mistress," she murmured, and went into a proper bow.
"Warrior, pick up your blade," Mistress Soja said, her mouth set in a grim line. "And follow me." She didn't bother to spare Peishan a glance. "You girl, get to class."
"Yes, Mistress," Peishan said, bowing again, giving Yumi a sympathetic look before she scurried off, shoulders creeping up around her ears.
"Yes, Mistress," she managed, the blood pouring from her nose coating her teeth as she opened her mouth. The escalating torment threatened to topple her as she bent down to pick up her katana, the scrape of the metal against the stone as she clumsily drew it up making her wince. Mistress Soja turned on her heel and marched away, not bothering to see if she would follow.
She followed, of course, her blade clutched in her hand, trying futilely to stem the flow of blood with the already soaked sleeve of her uniform. She followed Mistress Soja into her office where the woman shut the door before turning to glare at her as she belatedly stood to attention, the chest of her uniform reddening under the onslaught. She was starting to feel more than a little dizzy but she kept her stance.
"Report." The Mistress's voice was icy.
"I lost my grip on my blade and it landed on my nose, Mistress."
"And why was your blade unsheathed, warrior?"
She swallowed and nearly gagged at the taste of blood. "I was demonstrating technique, Mistress."
"You were showing off, you mean."
The tears in her eyes were not just from pain. "Yes, Mistress."
"Do you think your training here is a joke, warrior?"
"No, Mistress!"
"You think your blade is something to just swing around in order to impress a girl?"
"No, Mistress."
"Apparently you do." The Mistress circled around her, not bothering to hide her disgust. "A girl, might I add, whose time here is coming to an end. She's not worthy of the blade she carries. Do you think you're worthy of your blade?"
"Yes, Mistress!" She gasped a little for air as her stomach roiled with nausea.
"Not by what I saw today." As she turned her head to look at her, the Mistress snapped. "Eyes forward, warrior!" The Mistresses' bootheels drummed a furious tattoo as she walked around her. "I should kick you out of this program entirely for this little stunt."
"Mistress!" Her breathing started to quicken.
"Discipline, warrior! Kyoshi warriors must be disciplined at all times! Kyoshis have neither the time nor the focus for frivolous flirtations, do you understand me, warrior? I said, do you understand me, warrior!"
"Yes, Mistress!" Tears were mingling into the blood still flowing copiously down her chin.
"Do you actually think you deserve to stay here?"
"Yes, Mistress. Please, Mistress." Her shoulders were heaving.
"I hardly think so. In fact, I think-" her voice was cut off by the office door opening.
"Peishan told me that...Yumi!" Napachi, the waterbender healer who worked at the academy, came around her and immediately drew water into her hands from the pouch at her waist. The water started to glow softly as she raised it to her face. "Oh, yes, that's broken, sure enough. Let's have you sit down."
"I have not released the warrior," Mistress Soja bit out. "She stands until I have released her."
Napachi scoffed at this. "She's not a warrior, she's a student. And right now she's a student in my care and I say she sits." She shot Mistress Soja a look. "Or are you going to dictate my job to me?"
"Perhaps the warrior does not deserve treatment. Perhaps this will be a good reminder for her in the future when she's tempted into frivolities."
Napachi's lips thinned. "Soja, the agreement that we had was that when it came to the students I'd be the one to decide what treatment they did or didn't get. Has that somehow changed without my knowing?" She met Mistress Soja's gaze head on, fearless in a way that Yumi had never seen when it came to the intimidating headmistress. "She's just a girl, Soja." The healer's voice was quiet.
"I will not coddle her and waste her potential!"
"Do you want to explain to her mother why you let her bleed all over your office instead of letting me treat her? Mayureak will pull her out of this school if she hears word about it, that I promise you." The two women stared into each other's eyes until Mistress Soja inclined her head just slightly.
"Heal her and then I expect her to be back in her class immediately. We will discuss her punishment then."
"I will heal her and then I am sending her home to rest. You can discuss her discipline when I allow her back to school." Another long look and then Mistress Soja left her own office without another word, the door closing firmly behind her. Napachi breathed out a tiny sigh. "Take a seat, Yumi."
"Do you know my mother?" She sat down gingerly, her head spinning.
Napachi grunted softly. "We grew up together. The South Pole isn't that big a place." She took her chin gently in her hands. "Hold still, now."
"Maybe the Mistress is right. Maybe I should leave it as a reminder." Her tears started up again as the cool water bathed her face.
Napachi was quiet for a time as she moved the water. "Yumi, discipline is important, but blind obedience is not. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?"
"I...uh...ah! Ah!"
"Yes, I know it hurts. Bear with me for a little while longer, I need to stop the bleeding." They were silent for a time as the healer worked to slow the the bleeding, Yumi closing her eyes and trying to not pant with the agony of it all. As it started to taper off she tried to move but the healer pressed a hand to her collarbone. "Stay still, now."
"I should go to class."
"No classes today."
"But Mistress Soja-"
Napachi sighed. "This is exactly what I mean. You have to think for yourself, Yumi. There may come a time in your life when blind obedience will struggle with your own morality, with what you know is right or wrong. Plenty of soldiers have done things they know deep inside are wrong and used obedience to their masters as an excuse. But it can never be justified." She cupped Yumi's cheek in her hand for a few moments. "Soja is hard on you because she sees your potential, yes. But she's also greedy for it. For you. And greed is never a good mistress, especially not for Kyoshis."
"I want to be a Kyoshi!"
"Yes, I know. All of us here know, and that includes the headmistress." Napachi peered at her nose closely before bringing the water back to it. "She knows right enough," she muttered, to herself, Yumi thought. "Well, it's a break, and you've given yourself a nice-sized cut as well. I'm going to move it back into place for you, but the good news is that you'll probably have that bumpy reminder you were hoping for." She huffed out a quick breath. "This next part isn't going to be fun. You ready? Okay, three, two-"
She let out a bellow as her nose was wrenched back into place, black spots crowding at the sides of her vision, the healer immediately grabbing at her and holding on so she wouldn't topple over. "Fuck! Fuck!"
"Yes, I don't envy you that pain, let me tell you." The healer's tone was sympathetic. "Just rest for a moment, I'll be right back." She opened the door and said something to someone in passing before coming back into the room. "Now let me clean you up a bit before your father sees you and thinks we've killed you. They're bringing a cart around and I'll escort you home."
"I can walk home, I don't-"
"No, you cannot. I will take you home in the cart and hand you over to your father myself. And tomorrow morning I will come by your house and check on you. You are to rest today, Yumi. No exceptions. You've lost a lot of blood and you need to rest and rehydrate. Do I make myself clear?"
She groaned. "I was supposed to help Da with the kegs after school today!"
"Well, there will be none of that until I clear you. No training, either." Napachi stood and glanced over, waving her hands over Yumi's katana, cleaning it of the blood that was smeared across the hilt. "Here, let me help you sheath it."
"Only a warrior is allowed to touch her katana!"
"We'll just keep it our little secret," Napachi said dryly, sliding it home along her back before bending most of the blood away from her uniform. "Well, this is going to need a thorough scrubbing and so will you, but at least you'll pass for living at this point." She took her firmly by her elbow and slowly helped her rise. "Careful now, you're probably going to be dizzy for awhile, and I can promise you that the more you move around the more likely it is that the nose is going to bleed again. Let's get you home and into bed, get some fluids into you." She chuckled. "Your eyes are going to blacken, too. Well, never hurts to get a little sympathy from a pretty girl now, does it?"
"Mistress Soja says a warrior doesn't have time for that kind of thing."
"Does she now? Well. I'll take that up with her the next time she comes to my bed, shall I?" At her shocked intake of breath Napachi chuckled. "You've got eyes and a brain, Yumi. Use them. Mistress Soja puts her pants on one leg at a time, just like the rest of us. Respect her, but respect yourself as well." She wrapped an arm around her as she helped her to take a few steps. "Come on now, let's get you home."
Yumi allowed herself to lean on her just as a little as they made their way down the hall.
Chapter 3: A Promised Sacrifice: Mako and Bolin Run Away From The Orphanage
Summary:
Mako and Bolin make their way into the streets after the death of their parents.
Chapter Text
The head of the orphanage stood in the yard, peering until she found the boy with the red scarf. “Mako!” she called, watching as he turned his head. She motioned him towards her and he came reluctantly. His younger brother, as always, trotted alongside him, clutching his hand. “Just Mako this time,” she said, and ruffled little Bolin’s hair. “You go on back and play, okay?”
Bolin’s eyes immediately went to Mako, who nodded. “It’s okay.” Bolin ran back through the snow-covered yard to where the few rusty swings were, calling out to the other children.
“Come into my office for a moment, would you?” She opened the door and led him through one of the dim hallways.
“Am I in trouble?” he asked and she shook her head.
“No, not at all.” She closed the office door behind him and nodded at the chair at the other side of her desk. She took her own seat and held out a tin to him. “Would you like a cookie?”
He stared at the tin for a long moment and then took out a cookie, immediately putting it into his pocket.
“Don’t you want the cookie?”
“I’ll save it for my brother.” He sat on the edge of the chair, long legs dangling. Silent, as usual. He was not a particularly verbose child, unlike his younger brother.
“Now then! I brought you in here because I have some wonderful news!” She smiled at him. “Do you remember the people who were visiting earlier today? The man and his wife?”
Mako nodded.
“Well, they have a small farm some distance outside the city and today they came all the way here just to look for a child to take home to love. Isn’t that wonderful?” She beamed at him, but the boy didn’t smile back. Sullen, as usual.
“Hong Li and his wife are both earthbenders, as it happens, and they’ve been unable to have any children. Such a pity. They were hoping they could find a nice strong earthbending child to take home with them. And here’s the most wonderful part! After taking a tour and meeting all of you children, they have decided that Bolin is the child they’d like to adopt.” She sat back with a smile. “Isn’t that the best news? Just think! There are some children who stay here for years without getting adopted; you and Bolin have only been here a few months. It’s a wonderful opportunity, don’t you agree?”
He stared at her. He was an unsettling child; he rarely smiled, and as far as she knew, never cried. The one time they’d tried to take the red scarf away from him he’d started screaming and thrashing, shooting fire. He was a very powerful child. Of course she never liked to lock children away in the quiet room but on that particular day she’d had no choice, no choice at all. His brother had carried on so, however; crying and resting his little hands on the door to the quiet room, begging Mako to come out. It was heartbreaking, really. Mako was otherwise obedient, so for now she let him keep the scarf. After all it only had been a few months since his parents had been killed. Allowances must be made.
“What about me?”
“Beg pardon?” She forced the smile back on. He really was unnerving with that resolute amber gaze. It was hard to remember sometimes that he was only eight years old.
“Are they taking me too?”
“Hmmm. Well, you see, the thing is, Mako, is that they really only need Bolin. Why, what would they do with a firebender there? How could they train you?” She shook her head. “No, it’s only Bolin that they need.”
“They can’t take Bolin without me. We’re brothers.”
She frowned at him. “Mako, that is a very selfish thing to say. Don’t you want what is best for your brother? Just think what an opportunity this is for him. He’ll have a wonderful home! He’ll get schooling as well as earthbending training. He’ll get to live in the fresh air of the countryside, get plenty to eat and his own room. And best of all, he’ll have a new mother and father!”
“He has a mother and father. Our mother and father.”
She sighed. “Mako, you are only thinking of yourself. Bolin is very young. Within a few years he won’t remember much of this time and that will be a good thing for him.”
“You mean he won’t remember me, either.”
“Oh! No, I’m sure he’ll have pleasant memories of you.”
“You mean wonderful ones.” Those eyes smoldered at her. His hands were clenched into tight fists.
“Mako!” He really was an obstinate child! “I’ll thank you to mind your tone with me. Now really, that’s enough of this foolishness. This is an excellent opportunity for your brother. You should be happy for him.” She was repeating herself. Really, it was uncanny how this child made her feel almost defensive.
“I promised my Mama I would always look after him. I promised.” He leaned forward in the chair.
“And so you have. And now a new family will look after him.” She rested her hands on the desk.
“No.” His breath had quickened; he was trembling.
“I am afraid that choice is not yours to make. You and your brother are wards of the state now and the state has decided that your brother is to be adopted. Come now. They wanted to take him today but I told them you’d need a last night together.” She sighed. “I’m not a cruel woman, you know. Say your goodbyes tonight. And who knows! There may be new parents in store for you very soon!” She doubted it, though. Not with his attitude. People wanted cute orphans. Cheerful orphans. Happy orphans, like his younger brother. They didn’t want sullen boys who refused to enjoy anything.
“We’ll run away,” he hissed, chin trembling. “We’ll run away from here.”
“And do what? How do you think you would live out there?” She shook her head sorrowfully. “Where do you think you would sleep?” She waved her hand at the window. “There’s snow out there. And how would you feed yourselves? Mako, you are not old enough to take care of yourself, no less your brother.” She sighed. “Sometimes, in life, we have to make sacrifices for the greater good. You think of it as sacrificing your brother, but that’s not it at all. Bolin will have a good life. He’ll be cared for and loved. He’ll have plenty of opportunities. He’ll never have that with you out there on the streets. I know you want what’s best for your brother. Can’t you sacrifice a little of your own happiness for him? If you really loved him you would.”
He said nothing. He gazed at her, unflinching, until she became uncomfortable. She stood up abruptly and walked to the door. “Well. I think we’ve said all that needs to be said. You and Bolin are excused from chores this evening. Tomorrow morning we’ll introduce him to his new parents. They have a bit of a way to travel, so they’ll be leaving early.” He hadn’t moved. “Mako, you can go now. Go on, now.”
He stood up and walked to the door. Reaching into his pocket, he took out the cookie. Still watching at her, he crumbled it up in his hand before letting the crumbs fall to the floor. On then did he walk out, back towards the play yard, never looking back.
She was sorry, the next morning, when the matron reported that the boys were missing from the dormitory and that a hole small enough for two boys to wriggle through had been burned into the wooden fence surrounding the property. Sorry, but not at all surprised.
Chapter 4: A Natal Celebration: Bolin Turns Ten
Summary:
Bolin's birthday on the street.
Chapter Text
“Keep your eyes shut,” Mako said, and he gave Bolin’s ankle a nudge with his own foot. “Quit trying to peek.”
“I’m not! I’m not! But Mako, I’m really excited! Is it something good? Oh! Is it something bad?” Bolin squirmed a little on the crate he was sitting on, hands clutched over his eyes. “Can I look yet?”
“Since when do I give you anything bad? And no, not yet. Just wait.” Mako finished arranging things on the small cardboard box he’d set up as a table. He pursed his lips slightly; with a nod he leaned over and lit the lone candle with his finger. “Okay. Now you can look.”
Bolin’s hands dropped from his eyes and he looked down at the box; with a chortle of glee he clapped his hands. “Oh wow! Oh wow! Oh wowsers! Hey! Mako! Is that for me?”
“Yeah.” Mako smiled down at him, pleased. On the box in front of Bolin was a very small but elaborate cake, covered with dips and swirls of shiny pink icing. It had a single candle sticking out of it. Next to that was a large take-out container full of noodles. Set precisely to the side was a red envelope as well as a package wrapped in some colorful tissue paper, carefully scavenged and tied up with a discarded hair ribbon.
“I can eat it?” Bolin’s grubby hand reached out towards the cake before he snatched it back, looking up at Mako. “It’s really for me?”
“Happy Birthday, Bo. You’re ten years old today.”
Bolin’s mouth opened up into a nearly perfect O of surprise. “It is? It’s my birthday?”
“Yeah, you goof. Today. You’re ten. Now quit talking and make a wish so you can blow out your candle.”
“Oh Mako, I don’t know what to wish for. Oh! I could wish for a million yuan! Or wait, no, maybe some new shoes. Oh! I know! I could wish for an ostrich horse!”
“What would you do with an ostrich horse? You don’t even know how to ride one.”
Bolin held up one finger in triumph. “But if I had one then I’d learn to, right?”
Mako couldn’t help smiling at that. “Sure. If you say so. Come on, blow it out before it burns out.”
“Right, that would be unlucky. Okay, hold on.” Bo screwed his eyes shut, thinking hard. “Oh! I know!” He leaned forward and huffed a great breath at the candle, watching it wink out before clapping his hands. “Now I know my wish will come true! Do you want to know what I wished for? Do you?”
“You’re not supposed to tell me.”
“Well, I’ll tell you anyhow. I wished that this year you could go to school. Because you really want to, even though you tell me you don’t care. I know you do, though.”
Mako pointed. “Just eat the noodles. And next time wish for yourself, not me.”
Bolin took up the take-out container and the chopsticks. “Longevity noodles! For my birthday! Did I ever eat these before?” He shoveled an alarming amount into his mouth.
“Yeah, you’ve had them before, you just don’t remember.” Mako remembered, though.
“Oooh wanshome?” Bolin’s mouth was full.
“Naw, I already ate. You eat those. It’s your birthday.” Mako squatted down on the pavement and watched his brother gulping down the noodles. He hadn’t actually eaten anything at all that day, but it didn’t matter.
He knew Bo was too skinny. Back when Mama and Daddy were still alive, Bolin had been chubby, with round cheeks and a little belly. Daddy used to rub Bolin’s belly; for luck, he’d say, and laugh and laugh, Bolin laughing right along with him.
Mako couldn’t remember how it felt when you weren’t hungry. Hungry was just there, all the time. He tried and tried to get Bolin enough food so that he’d have a belly to rub for luck, but it was hopeless. It was all hopeless, sometimes.
“Can I open my presents?” Bolin had finished the noodles, his lips shiny with grease. Mako’s stomach rumbled. He ignored it.
“Course.” Mako smiled, just a little smile.
“Okay, I’ll open the envelope first…lessee…it’s…” Bolin looked at him, eyes wide. “Mako,” he whispered, “There’s ten whole yuan in here.” His fingers caressed the crisp new bill reverently. Mako had been scrounging together money for months for this day, gathering coins as he could, squirreling them away. Yesterday he’d gone into the National Republic Bank and asked to trade them in for a new bill. He was afraid they would kick him out; he’d tried to tidy up as best he could before he went in, but he knew he still looked like street trash, ragged and dirty. One of the tellers tried to show him the door but another one called him over and waited patiently while Mako counted out the coins one by one. When he was done, the man handed him a ten yuan bill and asked him if he needed a red envelope. Mako was so grateful he was rendered speechless. He’d thought he’d have to use his hoarded money to buy one, and this man offered him one for free. “Yes, please,” he managed to say and the man smiled as he handed it to him.
“It’s for you. You can get whatever you want with it. But only for you, okay? It’s unlucky to get anything for anyone else.” He knew he had to say it or else Bolin would end up buying candy and giving it all away. He was always generous to a fault. “But put it someplace safe so it doesn’t get lost or stolen, okay?”
“I could put it in my underwear,” said Bolin. “Or in my shoe!” He lifted up his shoe to tuck the bill in.
“You have a hole in your shoe,” Mako said. “Put it in that secret pocket I made for you in the hem.”
“Good idea!” said Bolin, and he carefully stowed it away into the aforementioned pocket in his tunic. “Can I open the other one?”
“Yeah, go ahead.” Mako was excited for him to see this one. Bolin carefully took away the ribbon and tissue paper.
“Oh boy!” he said. “It’s a book!”
“Read the title. No, it’s missing the front cover, read the next page.”
Bolin ran his finger along the characters as he read slowly. “An…earthbender…ev…ev…ev…”
“Evolves,” prompted Mako.
“What does that mean?”
“It means grows into something better.”
“Oh! Okay! An earthbender ev…”
“Evolves…”
“Evolves…the…true…story…of…Toph…Beifong! Toph Beifong! Mako!” Bolin bounced up and down on the crate, hugging the book to his chest. “Did you get me a book about Toph Beifong?”
Mako grinned. “Yeah. There are pictures too, look!”
Bolin paged through the book. “OH WOW! Mako! Look! That was her as a baby!” He leapt up from his seat and threw his arms around his brother. “Mako! It’s the best birthday present ever! Will you read it to me? Will you?”
Mako hugged him back. “Yeah. Eat your cake and then I will.”
Bolin sat back down and ran a finger through the pink icing, popping the finger into his mouth. “Mako, this is the nicest cake I’ve ever seen. I’m afraid to eat it.”
Mako gave him a little shove. “Better do it before it goes bad.”
Bolin picked the cake up and took a bite, closing his eyes. “Oh. Oh.” He chewed and two tears slipped out of his closed eyes, tracking down his thin cheeks. “I never tasted anything so good in my whole entire life. Not ever!” His eyes opened. “Mako you have to take a bite!”
“No, I don’t-”
Bolin’s chin thrust out. “I won’t eat any more unless you do.” Mako knew that look. Bolin, when he was in the mood, could be so stubborn he wouldn’t budge an inch.
“But Bo, it’s yours.” Bolin held the cake out silently, waiting. Mako sighed. Bolin continued to hold out the cake. “Okay, fine. Just one bite, though. It’s yours.” He took a bite.
It was good. It was so good. It tasted like how life used to be, how life was in the little house on Peony Avenue, like Mama singing while she did things around the house, like Daddy shaking the bed with his earthbending under Mako and Bolin while they giggled, like the swing in the backyard and Mako lining up all of his brand new pencils for his first day of school. He wanted it back. He wanted the house and the school and the swing and oh, he wanted Daddy and his big booming laugh and the way he called Mako Sparks and more than anything else he wanted his Mama. His Mama who always smoothed his hair back when he was sad or didn’t feel good, his Mama who helped him read the big words, his Mama who was never too busy to stop whatever she was doing and wrap him into a big hug, his Mama who loved him even though he wasn’t cute and funny like Bolin always was. Mama. Mama. His throat closed up around the sweetness and he felt the tears coming, threatening to spill onto his own cheeks. He wanted it back. He wanted it all back, more than he had ever wanted anything in his entire life.
He swallowed it. The cake, his grief, his constant ceaseless crushing fear. He pushed it all away, shoved it back down, locked it up good and tight, hidden into his heart. He dredged up a smile for his baby brother, looking up at him anxiously. “Pretty good cake, huh?”
Bolin’s face brightened. “It sure is! Hey! I have an idea! How about I eat the rest of this while you read me some of the book? Can we do it? Is it okay?”
“It’s great, Bo. Come over here, sit next to me.” He sat down on one of their carefully flattened pieces of cardboard, taking the book with him. Bolin snuggled next to him, a pink smear of frosting across his cheek. “Yum,” said Mako, and he swiped at the frosting with his tongue. Bolin giggled and wrapped an arm around him, resting his head on Mako’s shoulder, taking slow bites of the cake.
“It was in the city of Gaoling…” Mako read slowly, and Bolin wriggled with joy against him.
Chapter 5: An Elevated Afternoon: Mako and Bolin Fly Kites
Summary:
A spring day and some kites; what could be better?
Chapter Text
“Hey, Mako!”
Mako grunted a response as he finished writing down the figures, holding up his left forefinger as a warning. He glanced up once he’d finished. “What?”
“Your brother’s looking for you. He says it’s life or death.” Tug opened his mouth and issued a belch that reeked of rotting teeth. Mako’s nose wrinkled up in disgust.
“Yeah, well. He probably has a hangnail or something.” Mako sighed and tapped his finger on the paper. “Where is he?”
“Over in the Park. By the north bridge, last time I saw him.”
“Fine. Thanks.” Mako hopped off the stool and walked over to Shady Shin, lounging in the corner, using a penknife to trim his nails. “Here.”
Shin glanced at the paper. “You sure those are right? Why can’t you use an abacus like the rest of the world?”
“I don’t need an abacus. My numbers have never been wrong.”
Shin leaned over and tousled Mako’s hair, a move that earned him a vicious glare. Shin just laughed. “You’re such a cocky little shit, aren’t you? If you weren’t Zolt’s little pet I might think about taking offense at your attitude.”
Mako shrugged one shoulder. “You’re welcome to find anybody else who can do what I do with numbers.”
Shin waggled his penknife at him. “Better go find your brother before you start to piss me off.”
Mako shrugged again and headed out of the Triple Threat’s headquarters at a trot. Shin didn’t like him; fine. The feeling was mutual. He grabbed a couple of steamed buns from the kitchen as he slipped out the back door, ignoring the outraged shout of the cook.
Republic City Park was only a few blocks away and Mako jogged the distance, shifting the too-hot buns from hand to hand.
“Yo, Mako! Bolin’s lookin’ for ya!” Chu waved at him.
“Yeah, I heard. You know where he is?”
Chu pointed. “Over by the north bridge, I think.”
Mako waved as he went past. “Thanks.”
“Mako! Over here! Over here!” He turned to see Bolin in the distance, jumping up and down, waving at him with both hands. He immediately wheeled around and headed over to him.
“So where’s the fire?” Mako asked, and he tossed Bolin one of the steamed buns. Bolin immediately stuffed it into his mouth.
“Mo fiher, juss wanno so wu fomfin.” A few crumbs sprayed from his mouth and the bun was gone.
“Life or death, huh?” Mako took a bite of his own bun. It was still warm.
“I have a surprise for you! You’re gonna love it!” Bolin danced around in excitement. “It’s great! Really great! You ready to see it?”
Mako sighed. “Yeah, okay.”
“Oh come on, Mr. Serious. Give me a little smile. Will it kill you?”
“It might,” Mako grumbled, shoving the rest of the bun into his mouth. Bolin reached into a nearby bush and carefully pulled out two slightly battered kites. He was grinning hugely; bouncing up and down on his toes the way he did when he was happy about something. “Look! Do you see! Kites!”
“Where did you get those?”
“Found ‘em,” Bolin said, and he rattled them a bit. “They were dumped over behind Shao’s House Of Noodles. They were a little bit busted but I fixed them, see?” He brandished them towards Mako. “I fixed them and made them new tails and bartered for some string for them.” He thrust one out at Mako. “This one’s for you. Look! I drew on it!”
Mako took the kite and looked down at it. There were a great deal of crooked red swirls which he assumed was meant to be flames. He wasn’t sure about the other thing, though. Possibly a gray carrot? A fuzzy tube? A weird finger?
“That’s you firebending!” Bolin pointed. “I made it specially for you! This one is mine, see? That’s me earthbending.” It looked like a bunch of brown turds, but Mako wasn’t going to say so.
“This is…pretty cool, Bro.”
Bolin beamed. “Really? You really think so? You aren’t just saying it?”
Mako realized he wasn’t just saying it. He really did think they were cool. “Do they fly?”
Bolin’s head bobbed up and down enthusiastically. “Uh huh! Well. At least I think they do. We should try them and see!” He bounced up and down again. “So what do you say? Kite war? Huh?”
Mako looked down at his kite. “I want to, Bo, I really do, but I’m supposed to start my rounds pretty soon.”
Bolin’s entire body drooped. “But…but...I fixed them. So we could play with them.”
“Aren’t you a little old to be playing with kites?” Mako meant it as a joke, but Bolin wasn’t laughing. His eyes filled up with tears, and he clutched the kite carefully to his chest.
“I’m twelve years old. I’m supposed to be playing with kites.”
“Bo…” Mako frowned. “Don’t be like that. I want to play with the kites. I do. But…”
“No.” Bolin shook his head firmly. “No. No buts. No buts, no excuses, no I have to works or I can’t do it right nows.” He leaned forward and poked Mako in the chest. Pretty hard, too. “I’m not listening to any of that. It’s windy today, but not too windy. The sun is out. The snow is all gone, and we have two kites and we are going to have a kite war and I am going to kick your booty.”
Mako raised one eyebrow. “Dream on, little man. Dream on.”
Bolin pasted on his best regretful face. “That’s me. A dreamer. Can’t help it. Still gonna kick your firebending booty.”
“I’m hearing a lot of talking but looks to me like your kite is still on the ground,” Mako said, leaning in until he was nose to nose with his brother. “Bring it,” he said in his best menacing tone, and the look of utter joy on Bolin’s face made him grin and drop a kiss on his forehead.
In the end Mako had to launch Bolin’s kite for him; Bo just couldn’t run fast enough to gather the velocity needed to make it take off. Once he had Bolin’s kite in the air he quickly put his own up there, gray carrot and all. They ran across the park, shouting and laughing, kites swooping and dancing through the sky. At one point they collided into each other and Bolin dropped the stick his string was wound around; it skittered and bounced away as Bolin cried out in dismay. Mako thrust his own stick into his brother’s hands, running as fast as he could after the kite, slip-sliding a bit in the soft earth, grabbing and missing several times before he threw his body on top of the string, laughing breathlessly. Bolin galloped up, feet pounding solidly into the ground, dropping himself right on top of Mako, who let out a wheezy exhale.
“You trying to kill me?” Mako puffed out, still managing to hold on to Bolin’s string. Bolin scooted off of him to lay next to him, holding on to Mako’s kite. They lay there for a time in silence, pressed against each other, watching the sky.
“Mako?”
“Yeah?”
“Did you like the kite?”
“I love it,” Mako answered, and Bolin pressed in a little closer.
“Really and truly?”
Mako smiled. “Really and truly.”
“Guess what?”
“What?”
“Hold mine for a second,” Bolin said, and Mako carefully took his string, balancing both kites. Bolin sat up to feel around his pockets, pulling out a little red-striped candy bag.
“Where did you get that?” Mako stared at him .
“Ran some errands, got some coins.” Bolin waved the bag in a circle. “Peppermint for me, butterscotch for you.” He dug into the bag and pulled out a pale yellow candy. “Open wide!” He dropped the candy into Mako’s mouth before popping a piece into his own mouth. Candy being dispensed, he lay back down, reaching his hands out for the string. Mako gave him back the firebending kite.
They lay for a time there, sucking the candy slowly to make it last, pulling on the strings to keep the kites undulating high above them.
“Mako?”
“Yeah?”
“Are you glad you stayed to play with me?”
Mako turned his head to look at his brother. “Yeah.”
“You’re my best friend,” Bolin said. “I really love you a lot.”
“I love you, too.”
“Was it a good surprise?”
“Bo, it was the best surprise.”
“Was I really using my noodle?”
Mako tapped him gently on the head with the kite stick. “Sure were.”
“Yeah,” Bolin said happily, and Mako smiled.
Chapter 6: A Surge Of Intensity: Mako Learns To Bend Lightning
Summary:
Mako gets pointers on lightning bending from Lightning Bolt Zolt.
Chapter Text
The acrid stink of ozone hit him again as he let the lightning stream from his left hand. It crackled and hissed as it spattered across the vacant lot, blue light blazing. It still wasn’t going where he wanted it to; it was taking too long to generate. He’d seen Zolt call up lightning in under five seconds; Mako wanted to be even faster than that.
“Take a breather.”
Mako glanced over to see Zolt standing with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall. Zolt jerked his chin towards where the lightning struck. “You don’t watch yourself, you’re going to deplete yourself of all your chi. Do that in a fight, you’re fucked sideways. You gotta think before you bend. Make it count.”
Mako looked down at his hands. “I’m still not quick enough.”
Zolt scoffed. “Boy, you’ve been bending lightning for two weeks. There’s a learning curve, you follow?”
“I want to get better.”
“Don’t we all.” Zolt pushed himself away from the wall. “Here. Let your chi charge back up for awhile. I’ll throw, you catch. You ready?”
Mako dropped into a waiting stance.
“Shut your eyes.”
Mako stared at him. “I can’t do that. I won’t be able to see it coming.”
“You think every firebender that throws it at you is going to give a shit if you can see it coming? You know better. I ain’t gonna hit you, boy. I’m not known for killing fourteen year olds. I just want you to close your eyes and listen.”
Mako regarded Zolt warily before closing his eyes. He was nervous; Zolt wasn’t known for killing kids, true, but he wasn’t known for being particularly big-hearted, either. Mako still wasn’t sure why Zolt was taking the time to show him all of this. “Nothing for nothing,” he always told Bolin, and if he knew anything at all, he knew that Zolt had to want something from him. What, though, that’s what Mako wasn’t sure about.
He tasted it first; that bitter tang that coated his throat and always signaled when his own lightning was starting to generate. He jolted up and swung his head around.
“Knock that shit off. You tense up before bending, you’re wasting time and wasting chi. What do I keep telling you? Save the energy for the bending. Save that temper of yours, too. Any fucking firebender can lose his temper and burn somebody. The good ones, they keep their cool. Now. Do as I say. Relax and listen.”
Mako shook out his shoulders, tried to relax. He waited; soon enough he smelled the ozone again and forced himself to stay calm. Then he heard it, the sharp crack of lightning. Without thinking he turned in that direction and raised up his hands in front of his chest automatically, his eyes flying open just as the lightning snapped above his head, making every hair on his body raise up in longing. He met Zolt’s eyes. Zolt was smirking at him.
“Let me ask you a question. You fucked a woman yet?” Zolt shrugged. “Or a man, however it takes you.” Mako didn’t answer but something in his face must have given it away because Zolt scoffed at him again. “Yeah, thought so. You’re too pretty not to get snatched up soon as you first started sporting wood.” Zolt threw his head back and laughed. “Look at you with that angry face like a pissed off little cat. Calm down, boy. Who’s to give a shit what you do or don’t? My point is that you need to think of firebending like fucking. Now a boy, he’s a selfish little fuck. All he thinks about is getting his own, never mind what his partner is feeling. He fucks hard until he spurts; then he jumps back up and gets ready to do it again.” Zolt generated the tiniest whip of lightning, making it dance from hand to hand. “Man, though? He takes his own sweet time. Makes sure he knows what his partner is feeling at all times, makes sure they’re having as good a time as he is. Unselfish man, he waits. He keeps his cool. He lets it build, lets it go slow until the time comes when they both can’t take it any longer, and then - and only then - does he let himself go.”
He abruptly threw the lightning at Mako, who skittered out of the way. “You firebend like a boy. Probably fuck like one, too. You’ve got enough talent to be a good firebender, sure. Question is, do you have what it takes to be a great one? You want to be a great one?” Mako’s fists clenched up and Zolt sneered. “Well? Do you?”
“Yes,” Mako said, and he forced his fists to unclench.
“Then keep your fucking cool. Learn how to be still. Learn how to wait. Firebending, it’s all chi. It’s all in us. We’re not like those other fucking benders, needing an element in order to bend it. All we need is ourselves. You know how they stop firebenders from bending?”
“They put them in the cold.”
“That’s right. But the great ones? They can bend no matter how cold they get. Not as good as they’d do on a hot summer’s day, true. But they can still manage. Those are the firebenders who are calm, who think it through instead of reacting, who know how to wait and listen and plan. The firebenders who are cool themselves. You following me, here? You understand what I’m telling you?”
Mako stared at Zolt. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes and put himself into a waiting position. All was silent until he heard the slightest scrape of a shoe against the pavement. His body started to tense up; he forced it to relax again. Here came the stench; next the snap of the lightning towards his left and he spun, hands going up and eyes flying open and there it was, heading straight for his heart. I can do this, he had time to think and instead of letting it come to him he reached for it, took it into his hands and let his body channel it through his stomach and out through his left hand, flying directly back to Zolt.
Zolt caught it easily and deflected it harmlessly across the lot. He pointed with one finger towards Mako and grinned. “That’s what I mean. You feel that? Different, yeah?”
“It was mine,” said Mako, and his smile was fierce. His entire body was on fire and he wanted to scream with it, scream and run and come undone, he wanted to punch something in his exultation, wanted to find Ming and see if she’d let him get under her skirt again. “Mine to take. Mine to give. Mine!”
“Yeah, it was yours. You kept your cool. You keep doing that, you might make a damn good firebender one of these days.” Zolt nodded towards Mako’s crotch. “Yeah, you felt it like a man feels it this time. I told you. Just like fucking.” He laughed again. “Ah, you’re young yet. Better go rub that out before your balls get to aching. Go on. Get out of here.”
Mako held himself back for another moment. “Why are you doing this?”
“This what?” asked Zolt, pausing in the act of shaking a cigarette out of a jade-encrusted case.
“Helping me. Teaching me. Why are you doing it?”
Zolt finished shaking out the cigarette and put it to his lips before tucking the case back into his breast pocket. He raised his finger and lit it; took a slow drag and blew it out. He never took his eyes off of Mako. “I owed someone. I couldn’t pay my debt with them, so I’m paying it through you instead.”
“I don’t get it.” Mako crossed his arms.
Zolt took another deep drag and shrugged his shoulders. “Like I give a shit if you do. Take it or leave it, all the same to me.” He jetted the smoke out of his nostrils.
“I’ll take it.”
“Yeah, you’re a smart one. Now fucking beat it. Go on. Get out of here.”
Mako spun around and took off at a dead run across the lot, long legs flying. As he took the corner towards Sakura Street he let out with a whoop before disappearing.
Zolt stood there for another moment, smoking in silence, staring at the pitted dirt where Mako’s lightning had struck, before he too walked out of the lot.
Chapter 7: An Inauspicious Beginning: Qi's Life Before
Summary:
Qi's childhood.
Notes:
This one comes with some pretty heavy trigger warnings. It is not at all my usual light and fluffy fare. Please see the end notes if you need to know what the triggers are and use them.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
They'd been upstairs, eating some leftover sugared violets that Lan had given them, when they heard the screaming start. They leapt up, the candy tumbling to the floor, a sticky mess they'd have to clean later, their heart pounding. There was shouting then: Chang the earthbending bouncer, coming up from the front door and Lu, her deep voice bellowing throughout the house, not to mention some of the other ladies. They lifted the latch on the door and snuck down the stairs from the attic, eyes wide, steps silent and sure.
Qi wasn't allowed out of the attic at night when the front door was open for business. Under the Madame's orders. Disobeying the Madame meant a switching with the cane she kept on the wall above her desk in her office. This not only went for them but for the rest of the ladies, as well. The Madame didn't bother with warnings, either. You obeyed or you didn't, and if you didn't you wouldn't sit for days. (Well, you wouldn't sit for days if you were Qi. You wouldn't walk for days if you were one of the ladies, Madame beat them on the bottoms of their feet. The ladies didn't need to walk to do their work but they needed to be able to lay down, that was for sure.) Qi did leave the attic at night sometimes, but they made sure that the Madame never caught wind of it.
There was a lot of ruckus on the second floor, the ladies coming out of their little rooms, mostly undressed, their visitors following them. One man was angrily shouting he wasn't going to pay for time not spent fucking, but Lu turned on him and gave him such a look he shut right up. Lu was big, bigger than most. Lu had a man's parts under her skirts but she was a lady, something that Qi took for granted. After all, most people reckoned Qi was a girl and they knew that wasn't so. Lu had told them once that it wasn't about what parts you had, but rather who you knew you were inside and Qi had felt very relieved at that. Although they hadn't really talked about it with anyone except Lu and Zip. Lu because she was Lu and Zip because he was their best friend. Their only friend.
Chang was busy hauling a man out of Himawari's room, the man shouting, red in the face. Qi had to smother a laugh; the man didn't have anything on and his crag was standing straight up, looking all red and angry itself. Pretty small one compared to some of the others they'd seen but Siti had told them once that it wasn't about the size of the boat but rather the motion of the ocean, which they hadn't understood but the rest of the ladies had laughed, Lan harder than all the rest, like usual. Lan liked to laugh.
"The fuck is going on here?" The Madame had arrived. She was a tall woman - not tall like Lu, but tall enough, with dark brown curly hair and eyes that were like theirs, kind of a muddy green. They often wondered if that's why the Madame never smiled at them, because they had eyes like hers instead of their actual Ma, Pensri. They didn't remember Pensri but they'd asked Lu what she'd looked like and Lu had said she had gray eyes and dark skin and hair. Which wasn't like Qi at all but then again, they had no idea about their Da so who knew?
"Did for Himawari," Lu said, and even Lan wasn't laughing now. All of the ladies looked upset. The Madame looked around the hall - Qi made sure they were securely in the shadows - and her mouth tightened.
"You want I should toss him on his ass, Boss?" Chang shook the man all over and the man stopped shouting for a moment.
"No." The Madame didn't even look at him. "Take him down to my office and wait for me. Who be on the door?"
"Shut it afore I came up," Chang said.
"Good," she replied. "Keep it shut for a bit." She turned then and smiled. The Madame was very pretty when she smiled but she usually only smiled for the visitors. "Sorry for all the fuss, folks. Consider this hour on the house."
"Well, that's mighty kind of you, Madame," the man who had been shouting earlier about not paying said.
"Well, don't look like you be needin' the whole hour at this rate," the Madame said, looking at that man's big old crag, still poking towards the sky and giving him a wink, which made the man laugh and most of the other visitors as well. She waved her hand. "Go on now, enjoy yourselves."
The ladies started to go back with the visitors back into their rooms, all except for Lu, who had gone into Himawari's room. Madame went in there as well and they heard some low talking, and some crying, too. After a little bit the Madame and Lu came back out, Lu looking upset and the Madame looking angry.
"Pearl from the Velvet said her Kumiko got beat on last week, but the fucker was out the window afore her bouncer could grab him." Madame looked very angry, and Qi shrank back into the shadows.
"Yeah, heard tell of the same from the Lotus Heart." Lu frowned. "Meant to tell you but it went straight outta my head."
Madame shot her a look. "You gotta lay off that bottle, Lu."
"Damnit Yuri, let it be."
Madame sighed at that. Qi never understood why, but Lu could sass Madame back and never got any beatings. Chang had said once that the two of them had grown up together in the same Flower District House but they didn't know anything about that, just that Lu was somehow special. "Fuck me. That boy be around?"
"What, you mean little Zip?" At Madame's look Lu grinned. "That be what Qi calls him."
Madame actually laughed at little at that. "She likes namin' things, don't she? Yeah, send him for the healer and then tell him to go hunt down Zolt, I be givin' him a note. This ends here."
"You want Velvet Pearl and Lotus Heart as well?"
The Madame thought for a moment. "Yeah, best to bring them in. They can owe me one." Lu nodded at that. "Can you go for them? I can't send the boy everywhere."
"I can go." Qi stepped bravely out of the shadows. "I be a fast runner."
Lu smiled at her but the Madame frowned. "What the fuck you be doin' down here? You want your ass beat?"
They quickly shook their head. "No ma'am. Just heard the screamin'."
"I'll give ya screamin'-" The Madame began and they started to shrink back but Lu grabbed the Madame's arm.
"Yuri. She be scared, little tyke. Let off."
They expected the Madame to come for them anyhow but she surprised them by looking at them at them with a frown that didn't seem angry. "That true, Qi? It scared you? The screamin'?"
They nodded and sniffled over the sound of some visitor making loud sounds like someone was squeezing him. "Yeah."
The Madame then shocked them by coming forward and running a hand through their hair and then cupping the back of their head. They couldn't remember her doing such a thing before. "You know yer safe here, Qi. Chang and Lu won't let nobody do a thing to you. Hear me?"
"Yes, ma'am," they whispered, and the Madame tapped their head once before taking her hand back, turning to Lu.
"Find me the boy and I'll go write that note to Zolt while he fetches the healer. You can go and let Pearl and Lotus know. Try not to get too drunk for it, yeah?"
Lu didn't answer that, just tousled the top of Qi's head and winked at them before heading down the stairs. The Madame turned back to them.
"This ain't a safe place for you to be, Qi. Not when we have visitors. Some of them..." the Madame seemed to struggle a moment while she thought of what to say, which wasn't like her. Usually the Madame knew just what to say. "Some of them might think you be for sale."
"For sale?" They didn't know what she meant.
"They think you be one of the ladies."
They frowned at that. "I ain't a lady." They meant it in all ways but the Madame didn't understand all the way.
"No. You ain't. Some houses though, they sell babies as young as you be. People see you, they just assume. I get you heard the screamin' and you got scared, but you mind me when I tell you to stay up there and keep the door latched, Qi. I ain't making you go up there for fun."
"Yes, ma'am," they said. "Is Himawari hurt bad?" They liked Himawari okay. She spent a lot of time looking in the mirror and usually never bothered herself with them but at least she wasn't mean to them like Dewi, who liked to give them nasty little pinches if they got within range.
"Well, he busted up her face and that's what she be sellin' here, but we let the healer see what she can see." The Madame watched them for a moment. "You could help a bit, I reckon."
Qi nearly bounced on their feet. "I can help!"
The Madame motioned with her hand. "You think you can sit with Himawari for a bit? Just til the healer comes."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Alright. But I want you latchin' the door and you don't let a body in unless me or Lu personally give you the okay through the door, no matter what you hear or what anybody else be sayin'. You hear me?" They nodded. "You gone mind me 'bout it?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Come on then." She led them into Himawari's room, closing the door behind them. Himawari was laying on her bed, her face all covered with blood and already swelling. She was shaking a little. "Girl, I got little Qi with me. We be sending for the healer right away but Qi'll stay here with you until she gets here. Yeah?" Himawari just whimpered in response and the Madame sighed and put her hand on their head again. "Mind me, Qi. Who be comin' in that door?"
"Not a body but you or Lu and only if you be telling me through the door."
"Good girl. Now latch it behind me, I gotta go." The Madame left and, as instructed, Qi latched the door behind her.
They weren't sure what to do. Himawari was just laying on the bed, looking terrible, like her face was a mask, letting out with little gasps of pain every few seconds. They sat down on the single chair in the room and tried not to stare at her. The room was the same as any of the others: a bed, a single chair, a washbasin, a small table with an oil lamp and a few other things on it. Madame let her ladies decorate their own rooms a little if they wanted and Himawari had a fancy looking fan on her wall and some pretty scarves as well as some pictures of fashion ladies cut out from magazines. Qi loved the fashion magazines, the ladies often had them laying about and never minded if they looked at them when the ladies were done with them. Himawari's room smelled like gardenia perfume as well as a bitter, oily smell they weren't sure of but didn't really like. Normally they weren't allowed in any of the rooms except for Lu's, but Lu had a bigger room than the rest and in any case, she often helped out the Madame a lot so she often didn't have visitors. They were allowed into the big, open room on the first floor next to the kitchen where the ladies could sit and lounge about when the front door was locked and no visitors were there and they liked that, there was a radio to listen to while they did their embroidery and the ladies always gave them bits of candy or leftover flowers that some of their visitors had given them as they talked and cleaned themselves up and got ready to go to sleep. The ladies would sleep all day and then get up again in the early evening to eat something and get ready for the visitors again.
"Qi?" Himawari's voice sounded all funny, all smushy and weak. "You there?"
"Uh huh."
Himawari held her hand out and they moved to sit on the bed carefully, taking her hand into theirs.
"Does it look bad? My face?"
They froze. They weren't sure how to answer that, but they decided to go with the truth. "Yeah."
Himawari started to cry then, a high keening noise, and Qi just held on to her hand and hoped the healer would come soon.
The healer came and the Madame escorted Qi out of the room, going to speak to Lan, who had just finished up with her visitor and was asking after Himawari. Listening, they heard voices downstairs and went to investigate. Two women were there with Lu, dressed up very fancy, one of them drinking something from a little silver bottle. They couldn't overhear what they were saying, but Madame came down the stairs then and spoke to Chang, who was back on the front door. They weren't sure where the bad man who had hurt Himawari was. Madame showed the ladies into her office and shut the door and then Lan crooked her finger at the shadow where she was lurking.
"Come on out, Qi baby," she whispered, and they joined her. Chang ignored them. Chang did his job, and his job was to make sure nobody in the house got hurt and that the visitors didn't run off before they'd paid their money. Qi sneaking around in the middle of the night was not part of Chang's job and so he left them alone. Lan leaned down and kissed their cheek. "Baby, I want to know what's goin' on. You mind goin' to listen for me?" They shook their head and Lan chucked at their chin. "Go on then, I'll find you later." She headed into the visitor's parlor, where the ladies waited between visitors. Qi, on the other hand, slid into the kitchen, past the surly, muttering cook that was slapping at some gray looking dough, into the supply closet, shimmying their way behind the shelves there until they came to the small opening in the wall. It was meant for the chimney sweeps, allowing them to get access, and was too small for a grownup to fit into. They crawled on their belly until they came to where they knew Madame's office was, keeping their breathing quiet, positioning themselves to look through the grate of the unlit fireplace. It meant they could only see what was directly in front of them but they were able to hear everything.
"...what the fuck all we payin' The Triple Threats for if they don't be keeping trash like that out?" It must have been one of the other ladies, Qi didn't know the voice. "Not that the Red Monsoon were any better. Like they cared."
"We let Zolt tell us when he gets here." That was the Madame. "Lu, get Pearl a drink."
"He best get here soon, time is fucking money." That was the other lady. She must be Lotus from the Lotus Heart. The Madames had the same names of their houses, which is why her Madame was Lily of Blushing Lily house. Only Lu called her Yuri, but Qi didn't know why.
"I sent a boy for him, Lotus. He comes when he comes."
"Where you got this dickless wonder anyhow? Mebbe we don't be needin' to wait for Zolt." That was Pearl again.
"Chang be bringing him when Zolt comes. Sit down, Pearl, take a load off. How be your girl anyhow?"
Pearl grunted. "Broke her fucking nose and took out two teeth. What the hell I do with her now? Gave her her walkin' papers. Nothin' to be done. Gonna have to get a new girl somewheres, one that can actually do a half-assed job at whoring, which as you all know ain't the easiest thing in the world to find. Fuck's sake."
A woman crossed in front of the grate as she spoke. Lotus, then. "He tried to choke out my Tartok. He weren't just tryin' to hurt her, I tell you that much. She still be recoverin'."
"Don't tell me you still hangin' on to the girl!" That was Pearl.
"She be fucking good, got herself some regulars that only come for her. Her face ain't permanently damaged, so I can put her back out there soon as the healer gives the okay. What about your girl, Lily?"
The Madame sighed. "Don't know yet. Healer will let me know. Fucking shame though, she were a pretty one. I asked her if she knew the man from afore but she said no."
"Naw, my girl didn't know him either."
"Tartok neither. And my boy at the door got a good look at him, as he was leaving, didn't know him. Aroon's got a spark for faces, he say he don't know him then he don't."
"Wait, you tellin' me he left by the door?" That was the Madame.
"He did, the brazen fucker. Didn't know he'd done for Tartok until my head girl noticed she'd had her visitor in there too long. She ain't seen him leave and Tartok were in no shape to be talkin'."
"Fuck," Lu swore.
They continued to talk about it for a time while Qi dozed with their head on their arms, half listening for anything that might sound interesting but mostly thinking whether or not they could sneak some turnips away from the cook. They came out of their doze immediately when there was a knock on the door of the office, however. They heard it open and a man's voice speak. "Lily, evenin'. And you're Pearl, yeah? And Lotus? I've been meaning to make the time to meet you in person, just sorry we had to do it this way. Tell me what the trouble is?"
They heard one of the women take in a deep breath to start yelling but they stopped as the Madame spoke. "Boy, go on to the kitchen and get somethin' to eat." She watched the Madame cross and then return, holding out a coin. "There you be." Zip didn't reply, but he never did. The door shut behind him as he left. "Well, Zolt, we got ourselves a bad one. Beat one of my girls bad tonight, done for girls at Pearl and Lotus's places last week, too."
The man moved into view. He was tall, dressed in red and gold like something from one of the fashion magazines, with eyes the color of oranges. That meant a firebender, most likely. He reached into a pocket and took out a green case, opening it and taking a cigarette before offering some to the rest of them. "Well, we can't be havin' none of that," he said. "Bad for business."
Madame took a cigarette and the man lit it with his finger. Firebender for sure. "Chang caught him, he's down in the cellar."
"Well, looks like it ain't gonna be his night, then." He turned, blowing out a smoke ring. "Viper, go and fetch the man. You know what to do."
"You got it, Boss," another man answered, and the door opened and closed again.
"I'll take it from here. You ladies lose your girls over this?"
"Can't say for mine, healer's still with her."
"Lost one of mine."
"Mine's not a loss, but she ain't workin' at the moment."
The man nodded before reaching into a different pocket, pulling out a thick wallet. "Well, you ladies ain't paying me for protection only to have your girls losin' money." He looked over to the madames who were out of sight. "You ladies ain't had the privilege of working with the Triple Threats long, I know. I don't run things the way The Red Monsoon did. When you pay me for protection you get what you pay for. Rather nip this in the bud then let a man damage anymore of the merchandise. Like I said, ain't good for business."
"Yeah, fine," said Pearl. They watched as the man peeled a lot of yuan out of his wallet and then went out of sight.
"This should cover yer losses, ladies. And again, my apologies for all of this. Next time you let me or one of mine know right away, we'll handle things."
"Well, you or yours are welcome at the Lotus any time, Zolt. And I don't mean to cut this short but I got to get back."
"Course you do," the man said. "I'll be by later in the week to meet the two of you properly. You have a good night, ladies." The door opened and closed and they heard their Madame sigh. "Bad business, Lily."
"Don't I know it."
"We'll make sure the message gets out there, work him up a little, take him for a stroll around the neighborhood so folks can see how we handle the trash before I have Viper do him."
"But not here, yeah?" That was Lu.
"You and yer tender heart, Lu." The man laughed, a big booming laugh like Lan. "Naw, not here. We ain't that uncivilized. Viper'll get him out of here before takin' care of tonight's little problem."
The Madame came back into view. "Alright, Zolt. Thanks for comin' so fast."
"Anytime, Lily. Now go on, go check in on your girl." He came back into sight. "Let me know how she gets on, yeah?"
"I'll do that. You have a good night, then." The door opened and closed again. They waited for the man to leave - it would be okay for them to leave then as well - but he just stood there, smiling at something.
"What you grinnin' for, fool?" That was Lu.
"Aw, come on, Lu. You got some time at present, doncha?" The man crooked his finger and waggled his eyebrows.
Lu laughed and came into sight, wrapping her arms around the man's neck. "Oh, so you think you get a freebie, do ya?"
"I'll pay good for you, the way I always do."
"Fucking straight you will."
"Aw, yer my favorite, Lu."
Lu laughed. "Don't be startin' your sweet talk. I know you say that to all the girls."
"You know I don't. Offer still stands. I'd put you up real nice, Lu. Your own flat, diamonds, furs, Satomobile, whatever you want. Keep you real happy." His smile looked almost sad. "Make love to you."
Lu closed her eyes. "Zolt. You know I can't leave her. Not now. If I could, I would. But I can't." She pulled away to run her hand across his chin. "But I'm all yours for the rest of the night. Yeah?"
The man kissed Lu then, pulling her closer. "It ain't enough."
"Take it or leave it, Zolt. It's all I got to give right now. But if you're takin' it let's take it up to my room. I ain't fuckin' you on her desk."
They waited, still keeping silent, until Lu had left with the man, giving it a little time to make sure no one was going to come back in before shimmying themselves backwards into the kitchen. They knew the cook wouldn't have actually given any food to Zip; she was new and she didn't like him and was stingy anyhow, so they pocketed some turnips as well as a few soggy pork buns before ghosting their way through the house, sticking to the shadows, avoiding the visitors and Madame both, up into their attic room where they latched the door behind them.
"Got us some food," they said, sitting down on the floor, and Zip came out of the shadows. He was a brown boy, Zip. Brown hair, brown skin, brown eyes. There was nothing special to him. He was as skinny as they were but that was just how it was where they lived. He wasn't in any way memorable, which is why he could get himself in and out and about anywhere he wanted. What Zip didn't know about things wasn't worth knowing.
"She okay?" He meant Himawari, they knew.
"Dunno. Here." They handed over exactly half of their purloined booty. That's just how it was with Zip. They went halfsies on everything. "Got some candy, too."
Zip grunted his thanks, shoving the food into his mouth. Zip's Da had died two winters past and but even before that Zip had started to make himself useful, running messages for folks around the neighborhood, taking whatever little pay he could get. He never got enough to eat though, which is why Qi always saved half of what was theirs. Sometimes it meant they were hungry too, but Zip was their friend. That's just how it went.
Zip slept days and was up nights, like the ladies, like Qi. That's how it was in the Flower District. Zip often slept elsewhere when it was warmer but in the winter he'd make his way through the attic window Qi left unlatched, crawling into the pallet on the floor and huddling under the blankets with Qi. There wasn't a stove in the attic but the chimney was warm enough and Qi had several thick blankets and it was dry, at least. It was always better when Zip was curled around them, the two of them pressed together like little goat dog puppies.
"Saw that Zolt finally," they said, shoving over the teapot and the chipped mug they drank from. The tea was cold, but Zip wouldn't care. "He be flash. I liked his suit."
Zip grunted again. Zip never said a lot of words, but Qi could understand all of their grunts anyhow.
"He came with somebody named Viper but I didn't see him none."
Zip glanced up then. "Viper be bad news. You keep clear of him."
Qi nodded. If Zip said so then it was so. They didn't question why, just took what he said as truth.
Zip nodded at their wall, glancing at a picture from a newspaper that they'd carefully cut out and stuck up there earlier that night. It showed a huge house with lots of trees and gardens around it and a very beautiful lady standing in front of it, smiling, with a fat man next to her. Qi couldn't read but Lu could manage a little and she'd told them it was Hiroshi Sato and his daughter and their mansion. They'd never seen an actual Satomobile - who could pay for one in their neighborhood? - but they'd seen photos and ached to get to sit in one, to know what it felt like to fly over the street that way.
They wrapped their arms around their knees. "One day, I'm gonna live in a house like that."
Zip gave a little half-twisted smirk that was counted as a smile. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. Gonna live in a house like that and wear all them beautiful clothes and eat fancy food 'til I pop and have so much yuan I can just throw it at folks outside my Satomobile window."
Zip leaned back against the wall, finishing his turnip. "How?"
"Reckon I don't know yet but I will."
Zip merely nodded at this.
"Then I be givin' you money too. You can come live in my big house." They shoved the rest of the candied violets over, even though it was more than half. Sometimes they gave Zip a little extra. Sometimes Zip didn't make enough coin running errands and when that happened he didn't eat, unless he stole something.
Zip scoffed at that. "Naw."
They slung an arm around his thin shoulders. "You watch and see. You be my friend, yeah?" Zip nodded gravely at that. "Ain't that what friends do?"
Zip stared at the floor for a long moment before sliding his own arm around their shoulders for a squeeze that was so fast Qi thought they might have dreamed it. "Got to go." He moved away then, swinging himself up to the open window, cramming the rest of the candy into his pocket. "See ya."
"Be safe," they said, and Zip winked at them before disappearing into the night.
They spent some time on their embroidery - nothing special, just some white flowers and leaves on women's underthings - but it was more to give them something to do, anyhow. The Madame didn't like them doing too much embroidery in the attic, she said there wasn't enough light and that Qi's eyes would go bad. Usually they did it down in the private parlor, half listening to the radio and half listening to the ladies chatter with each other. Sometimes they slept during the night and then stayed up during part of the day so they'd have plenty of light to work by. They didn't mind doing the work. It kept their hands busy and kept their mind from going places that scared them. The Madame had told them many times that if they became a good seamstress they'd never lack for work and sometimes Qi liked to dream that they'd have their own shop where they could make fancy clothes like they saw in the magazines. Then they'd be rich and have their own yellow Satomobile and a fancy house and they'd let Zip and Lu come and live there. Lan too, maybe, they liked Lan, she always made them laugh and gave them candy and hugged and kissed them sometimes. They didn't know about the Madame. They were a little scared of the Madame but she let them live there and eat even though they had no Ma or Da, either. So they'd probably let the Madame come as well. If she wanted.
Qi was tired, though, so they lay down on their pallet for a bit, eyes closing despite themself, mind drifting through the sounds coming up the stairs, the loud noises the visitors made and the loud noises the ladies made in return, even though the ladies were just pretending they were feeling happy from the visitors. They knew that, they listened when the ladies talked.
They yawned, head settling into their lumpy pillow.
A few months back the Madame had had to call for a rat catcher to come and deal with the rats that had infested the house after the old cook had left food about. He'd told them that since he'd be using smoke pots they'd all have to leave for the whole day and night; Qi wasn't sure where everyone else had gone but the Madame had gotten a room in a real, actual hotel. They'd stayed there with the Madame and Lu, and the three of them had gone to see a traveling circus together. It was like nothing they'd ever seen before or since. People in beautiful, spangled costumes, doing tricks, swinging through the air and walking on ropes, camel elephants and a strong man who had picked Lu up with one arm and held her high above his head. Qi had been completely entranced, eyes so wide that the Madame and Lu had laughed at them, Lu taking them into her lap for a big, strong hug. After it was all over Lu had bought them an apple on a stick, covered with some sort of soft candy and Qi could still taste the sourness of the apple and the sweetness of the candy in their mouth, a taste they were still dreaming about. They'd talked so much about the lady who had walked across the rope strung up high that Lu had found a rope somewhere and had strung it tightly in an unused part of the house's courtyard, gradually raising it higher as they got better at walking across it. It was a good five feet above the ground now and Qi could get back and forth across it, lickety split, not even wobbling.
Someday, when they were rich, they'd go to see the circus every single day.
Notes:
Triggers: prostitution, child prostitution (referred), sexual violence, violence
Also, if you want to read more about the Madame, here's a letter.
Chapter 8: A Frank Analysis: Chief Beifong Takes Mako Out To Eat
Summary:
Lin gives Mako a little unasked for advice.
Chapter Text
Mako was hanging up his uniform jacket when she greeted him.
“Evening.”
He jerked a short nod in response, turning deliberately away from her when her eyes went to the rip in his ancient undershirt. He shucked off the uniform trousers and pulled on his own.
“I really pay you so little that you can’t manage to buy yourself some new shorts?”
“Chief?” He turned back around to face her. Beifong was applying a coat of lipstick in the mirror, a rather intimate piece of business. He knew she wore lipstick, of course - he wasn’t blind or anything - but he’d never thought much of the logistics behind it. She probably combs her hair, too, you asshole, he thought to himself and turned away to button up his own pants.
Beifong blotted her lips on a tissue that she had pulled from a pocket. “You have any plans tonight?”
“What?” He froze, fingers on his tunic buttons.
“Have anywhere you need to be?”
“Uh…no?”
“Good. You’re coming with me, then. I’ll meet you by the front doors. Make it snappy,” she said, and pivoted on her heel to walk out of the changing room.
Fuck, now what did I do? He made sure he was extra presentable before he went to meet her, taking the time to run a comb through his hair and give a quick spit-shine to his shoes. She didn’t say anything, just walked around the corner and into a restaurant that he had never stepped foot into before. Chin’s read the sign above the door and a bell jangled as they entered. A man about Beifong’s age looked up from behind the counter and smiled.
“Chief,” he said, and saluted. “You look especially bureaucratic this evening.”
“Knock it off, smartass,” she said, and rolled her eyes at him. “Junior, this is Mako, my newest detective. Mako, this is Chin Junior, normally known as Junior. His dad opened this restaurant when I was just a kid. Junior is under the mistaken impression that he can give me a ration of shit whenever he pleases.”
“And I please, I really do.” He laughed. “So Mako, newest detective, what do you like to eat?”
He blinked. “Uh…anything, really.”
“Ah good, I hate the picky ones. Take a seat, I’ll send Third out in a second.”
Beifong made her way to a round booth in the back, a faded sign that said Reserved propped up on the table. “Sit,” she said, and did so herself. He sat down warily, glancing around first. “Great thing about Chin’s is that I’ve never even seen the menu. They know what I like.”
A man about his age bustled up, a tray full of dishes carefully balanced on one arm. His stomach growled at the smell. “Hey there, Chief,” he said cheerfully, putting the dishes on the table. He shot Mako a friendly smile. “I’m Third.”
“Yeah. Uh. Hi. Mako, here.” He said, and cursed himself, once again, for being such an idiot when it came to social mores.
“Grandma says that you’re not to leave without some egg custard tarts to go,” he said to Beifong as he finished loading up the table. He put a teapot down. “Give me a yell if you need anything else.”
“Thanks, Third,” Beifong said, and she nodded at Mako. “Eat.”
He dug in. The food was good; nothing fancy, like what he had eaten the one time at Kwong’s Cuisine with Asami, but a very generous leap up from the noodle kiosks he’d eaten from in the past. He inhaled most of a bowl of noodles before he noticed that Beifong was staring at him instead of eating. He froze again, not knowing where to look.
Beifong leaned back in her seat and poured herself a cup of tea. “How old were you when your parents died?”
“Eight,” He replied. He stared back at her. Why was she asking?
She nodded. “So that’d make you what, twenty now? I’m assuming you’re a summer baby. You’re too good a firebender not to be born in the summer.”
“Born on the solstice,” he answered, and then looked away. What did it matter?
“I read the police report, you know. About your parents.”
His eyes flew back to her. “What?”
“Not one of my cases, but I dug it up out of storage. Cold case, of course. Unsolved. Like so many of them are.” She sighed. “It says in the report that you and your brother were taken to the orphanage. You obviously didn’t stay there. Why not?”
He stared down at his plate. “We were there for a few months. Then there was this couple…they were going to adopt Bolin, but not me.”
“Ah,” she said, and the sympathy in her tone made him cringe. He shrugged.
“Not a big deal.”
“So who taught him to read and write? Your brother, I mean. He would have been how old?”
“Six.”
“Too young for school. So who taught him to read and write?”
“Uh…I did. Well, I tried, anyhow.”
She sipped at her tea. “So you were eight, on the streets with a six year old. How did you live?” He just watched her, silent.
“Never mind,” she said, and waved her hand. “Stupid question that doesn’t actually need answering.” She took up the teapot and poured him a cup, pushing it across the table. “I think you know why I promoted you to detective, right?”
He blinked at the sudden change of subject. “Uh…I think?”
“You’re clearly brilliant, for one thing. Sharp, but not one to make quick decisions. You think things through. That’s why you keep those logbooks, right?” She nodded towards his breast pocket but didn’t wait for an answer. “You’re observant as fuck and that brain never turns itself off, does it? You’re a practical man, which I appreciate, being a practical woman myself. Everything’s like a puzzle to you and you take the time necessary to put all the pieces together until you figure it out.” At his look she let out a snort of laughter. “It’s my job to know the people working under me, Mako. That and kiss asses that need to be kissed. Politics. Fuck ‘em anyhow.” She rolled her eyes and took another swallow of tea before taking up her chopsticks.
“I’ve been thinking of partnering you up with Chiyo. She’s got about fifteen years on you, so you’d learn a lot from her. She’s impulsive and damn intuitive, pretty much the opposite of you. I think between the two of you you’d cover just about anything that needs covering. Not to mention, she’s a fair-minded woman. She won’t hold your past on the streets with the Triads against you.”
"Uh, okay. Great." He knew Chiyo by sight and reputation. She was a good cop, by all accounts.
She pulled a bowl of noodles closer. “I never was much as a detective…” She a made little face at his noise of protest. “Oh, I was competent enough, but I was never a great detective, not by a long shot. I’m a better enforcer, I always was.” She pointed a chopstick at him. “But here’s what I am observing now. I see a man in front of me, wearing clothes that have seen better days. Clean and well-cared for, absolutely, but old. Too old for the kind of salary he’s pulling. This very same man is hunched over his food, one arm wrapped around his bowl. Protective. Keeping his food clear from other predators. He inhales his food quickly and he didn’t wait for me to start eating before he started, that’s for sure. He hasn’t remembered to put his napkin on his lap.”
His face burned with humiliation. He stared down into his bowl, appetite gone. He started suddenly as Beifong leaned closer to put a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“Mako, I’m not criticizing. I gave you the job because I admire the fuck out of you. I see you and your brother and I’m at a complete loss as to how you, as a child, managed all of it. You kept the both of you alive and you are both decent, good men. Your brother, Raava help him, is probably one of the nicest men in this entire damn city. I’m giving you Chiyo as a partner because I know her well enough to know that she’ll see these things about you as well and judge you based on that, and not on your table manners or the fact that you used to run numbers for Lightning Bolt Zolt.” She sighed, and removed her hand. He found himself wishing she’d put it back. He didn’t know how to feel about that. “The thing is, though, is that most people won’t. Judge you on who you are on the inside, I mean. They’ll make flash judgments on what they see. It’s not fair, but it’s how it is. You aren’t a stupid man, not by any means. You know what I’m saying.”
He nodded. He still wasn’t looking at her.
Beifong was silent for a few moments before speaking again. “Look. We’ve all been through it the past few months. I know you just got a whole load of people dumped on you out there at Asami’s place. Korra’s gone and who knows when she’s coming back? Not that she won’t get taken care of by Katara and Kya, they're the best healers the world has to offer, and you can trust me on that one. So I get that your focus hasn’t really been on moving forward. But it needs to be, you follow me?”
He met her eyes, finally. He shook his head.
“Buy yourself some new clothes. Do something with that hair of yours. It was fine for a pro-bender, but it makes you look young. You are young. Youngest detective I’ve got, which is already a strike against you, never mind your not so savory past. Give yourself a little polish. You don’t eat out much, do you?”
He cleared his throat. “Outside of noodle joints, this is only the second restaurant I’ve been to. At least since my parents died.”
She nodded. “It shows. You’re observant. Look around you. Watch how others are eating, how they behave. You stand out. You’re feral, for lack of a better word. So what I am saying to you is use those skills of yours. Pay attention. Take notes. Implement some changes. Like I said, give yourself some polish, shine up the outside. You get me?”
He thought about it while Beifong ate some of her noodles. He watched how she held her bowl, how she wielded her chopsticks, the placement of her tea cup. He sat up straight, moved his bowls and his tea cup, put his napkin on his lap. He arched an eyebrow at her and she surprised him by grinning at him. Beifong wasn’t much for smiles, usually. They sat for awhile and ate in silence and he tried his best to eat slowly and sit up properly. The food was very good.
After they’d eaten, Junior’s wife - who was apparently called Madame Junior - brought them out two glasses of whiskey. He wasn’t much of a drinker; he’d seen what alcohol had done to plenty of people on the street and he had no desire to go that way himself. He wasn’t a judge of whiskey but he suspected, by the rich smokiness of it, that what he was drinking was a good whiskey indeed. He also suspected that the other patrons of Chin’s probably weren’t privy to this particular whiskey.
“Your accent’s good,” Beifong said. She took a swallow of her whiskey. “You lived over on Peony Avenue with your folks, right? That’s a solid lower middle-class neighborhood, or at least it was then. According to the report your father worked at the big marketplace by the train station?”
He nodded. “He was in charge of the produce stall that Kong Sung Grocer had there.” Kong Sung was the biggest grocery store in the city. “I guess he knew the business from Ba Sing Se. My mother was home with us. She was very strict about that kind of thing. Manners, I mean. Kind of old school Fire Nation, I guess. She’d really let us have it if we picked up any of the street dialect, didn’t act like gentlemen, things like that.” He poked at his bowl absently with his chopstick. “I guess I’d be a pretty big disappointment to her.”
“I very much doubt that,” her tone was firm. “The accent is a point in your favor, for sure. People judge others on how they sound. Unfair, of course,” and here she shrugged, “but nevertheless.”
“That’s what my mother used to say.”
Beifong snorted with amusement. “No matter how hard she tried, my mother always did sound like an Earth Kingdom aristocrat. Even her cursing - and if you think I can tear it up, you should have met my mother - sounded like she had a mouth full of gold. She had a tendency to order people around, too. Like they were her servants.” Beifong barked out a laugh. “Irascible bitch that she was.” At his look she waved her hand again. “Never mind, mommy issues, moving on. Thing is, though, is that as much as my mother liked to play the wild child, she also knew how to hold her own with anybody. The Avatar, the Firelord, the City Council. She knew the game. She played the game. You strike me as the ambitious type. Your pro-bending career is pretty legendary, you know. And ambition is a good thing in our business. Damn good. You’ve got a genuine gift for detective work, that goes without saying. But you want my job someday, you need to give yourself some polish.”
“I’m not-”
She cut him off. “I have to retire at some point. I sure as shit am not going to be doing this job into my seventies. You think about it. When’s your next day off?”
“Day after tomorrow.”
She nodded. “Fine. Do a little clothes shopping. Nobody says you need to be a fucking dandy or anything, but you aren’t a beat cop any longer. You need to get rid of the uniform. My detectives are plainclothes. Makes it easier to blend in, it’s not as threatening for a lot of people when they are being questioned. Think of it as a different kind of uniform, one that you take on and off for work, not the clothes you wear off the clock. Look around tomorrow, see what the rest of the detectives are wearing. You want nice - people need to take you seriously - but not so nice that you intimidate people, you follow? And for the love of Raava, buy yourself some new underwear. It reflects badly on me. I pay my officers enough to live off of. There’s no damn reason for you to be walking around looking like something a catgator chewed up and spit out. Tomorrow I’ll let Chiyo know I’m partnering you up with her. You can trust her not to fuck you over. I’m not saying she won’t ride your ass - and ride it hard - but she won’t stab you in the back. She’s good. Learn from her.” She took her whiskey glass and shot the rest of it down. “You still out there at Asami’s place with your people?” At Mako’s look she gave a short laugh. “Ah, family. Well, you’ll figure it out. Hey, here comes Junior with the tarts. Best fucking egg custard tarts in this city.”
“So they are. And Mother says I’m to give some to the handsome young boy with you,” Junior said, winking at Mako before handing him a white box tied with string. “Hope to see you in here again.”
Beifong grunted at that and stood up. Mako reached into his pocket for his wallet but she waved him off. “I’ve got a tab. It’s covered.”
“Chief…”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “It’s covered, I said.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, and she nodded.
“That’s more like it. You’re going to do just fine. You just need a little polish.”
“Polish,” he repeated, and he followed her back out the door, tarts in hand.
Chapter 9: A Kindred Spirit: Mako Goes For A Quick Spin
Summary:
Mako takes a family member for a ride on his bike.
Chapter Text
He was running a quick check on his bike - tires inflated, oil gauge in the clear, that kind of thing - when he realized he had an audience. One of them, a toddler of indeterminate gender, was standing right next to the front tire, diaper sagging, thumb firmly in mouth, staring at Mako.
“Hey,” he said, and the toddler popped the thumb out as a means of greeting before jamming it right back in.
“Is that yours?” asked one of the other kids. She looked about ten, maybe? Mako wasn’t all that sure, hard to tell with kids sometimes. He knew her name was Bai, though. She belonged to his Aunt LiLing’s side of the family, so no actual blood relation to him.
“Yep,” he replied, and crouched down to make sure the chain tension was what it should be.
“Wheredya get it?” She put her hands on her hips, eyebrows furrowed.
“Miss Sato gave it to me,” he replied, and satisfied the chain tension was tight enough - it had been giving him some grief over the past week, Asami had done some adjusting for him, but he wanted to check it again before he left - he stood up.
“How come?” The girl had moved closer, scowling at him. Why was she scowling at him? What the hell had he ever done to her?
“It was a birthday present.” He took up a rag and managed to wipe most of the grease off of his fingers. He resisted the urge to wipe his hands on his pants. They were new pants. Nice pants. He wanted to keep them that way.
“Nobody ever gave me a birthday present like that,” said a slightly younger boy, eyes wide at the very thought. Ju-Long. He was a pretty funny kid, Mako liked him, cowlicks, gap-toothed grin and all. “My last birthday I got a used pair of shoes.”
“That’s a pretty crappy birthday present,” Mako said, and the boy nodded glumly.
“Yeah.”
“You said crappy,” the girl informed him, with her little nose up the air. “That’s a bad word.”
“Sorry,” Mako said. Didn’t these kids have somewhere better to be? They were at the Sato Estate, couldn’t they go swimming or play some mini-golf or something? Mini-golf. He still couldn’t believe Asami had her own little golf course here. Unreal. The last time all four of them had played Korra had gotten pissed off that she couldn’t get her ball in the little hole and had practically bent up half the course trying to cheat and airbend it in. His heart sank, like it always did when he thought of Korra. She hadn’t answered any of his letters yet, but it had only been a couple of weeks. He guessed she needed some time to get settled in, back down at her parents’ house. He missed her, though. They all did.
A woman emerged from the side door, smiling. “Good morning, Mako.” Wen. His father’s cousin, his grandmother’s brother’s daughter. At least that’s what Mako thought. He still couldn’t keep track of everyone - his cousins and his aunt and uncle and his grandmother he managed, of course, but some of these people that had come with them from Ba Sing Se seemed to have tenuous familial connections at best. Not that it mattered, he supposed. What were they going to do, stay in whatever remained of their tenement in what was currently a war zone just because they weren’t technically related? He remembered Wen, though. She’d tried to do her laundry in the swimming pool the second day they were all here.
“Morning,” he replied, stowing the rag back into the pack on the side of the bike. Everybody out here with their good mornings and their how are yous and their so what are you up to todays. It wasn’t that it was a bad thing, necessarily; he knew they were just being friendly and Bolin, he loved it, he really did, he had jumped right into this whole extended family thing like he’d grown up that way. Mako, though, sometimes he had to just get away for awhile, take a break, sneak a cigarette in a remote corner of the estate. Not that someone didn’t usually find him. Because someone usually did. Someone who wanted something, naturally. He wasn’t sure how it had happened, but somewhere in the few months that they’d all been here Mako had become the family go-to guy. Didn’t these people know he had a job?
“So where are you off to today?” And there it was.
Mako shrugged. “Just got some stuff I need to do.” He didn’t want to be rude, but he wasn’t about to let her know where he was going. There were no secrets with these people. He’d found that out the hard way.
Wen put up her hands in a placating gesture. “And it’s none of my business, either, although you’re too polite to say so.” She smiled to take the sting out and gestured at the toddler. “Lei, come along. I need to change your diaper.”
Lei wasn’t having any of that. Both the thumb and the toddler stayed put.
“Come with Grandma, come on, sweetheart,” she coaxed. “Don’t you want your diaper changed?”
Mako was thinking the kid did not, in fact, want a diaper change.
“Could I go for a ride sometime?” That was Ju-Long, finger running daringly down the side of the saddle. Mako grinned. It was a nice ride, brand new, wasn’t even out in production yet. He had the only one of its kind at the moment, a glossy wine red color with black leather accents. He couldn’t blame the kid for admiring it. He admired it plenty himself.
“Sure. If it’s okay with your folks.” Ju-Long grinned right back at him, and Mako finished buckling down his pack. “I can’t today, though, I’ve got somewhere to be. Maybe later we could take it for a little spin. You ever been on a bike before?”
Ju-Long shook his head. “No! Will you go fast?”
“Sure thing,” Mako said, and he tipped a wink at Wen so she’d know that he wouldn’t really go fast. Not with a kid on the bike!
Wen laughed. “Well, something to look forward to, right, Ju-Long? Now grab your brother for me, would you? He needs a diaper change and you need to brush your teeth, young man.”
“I already did!” At a look from his grandmother the kid kicked at the dirt. “Well…okay. Maybe I could do it again.” He flashed her that gap-toothed grin and she chuckled.
“Mmm-hmm, that’s what I thought. We’ll see you later, Mako.” With that she guided the two boys inside - not without a loud protest from the disgruntled toddler, who bawled around his thumb - leaving Mako with Bai. Who had her arms crossed, staring at the ground. She muttered something he didn’t quite catch.
“Hmmm? Say again? I didn’t hear you.”
She looked up at him, and her lower lip trembled. “How come you won’t take me for a ride?”
“Uh…” Great. Just great. That’s all he needed this morning. “I never said I wouldn’t.”
She wiped a sleeve angrily across her eyes. “I bet you won’t.”
Mako propped his fist up on his hip. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because you’re going to take stupid old Ju-Long.”
“So?” Was he really having this discussion? Spirits, the girl had a stare that could peel paint off the walls. She could give Beifong a run for her yuan with that look.
“So everybody likes Ju-Long. He’s cute. He’s funny. Everybody always gives him extra treats and stuff. Nobody does that for me.” There went the lower lip again, but only for a second; she thrust her chin up and glared at him. “I don’t care. I’m smarter than him. I’m super smart. The teacher at the school here couldn’t believe I had never been to school in Ba Sing Se, she said it was amazing I had learned as much as I had just at home.” She was looking at him like she dared him to argue, but he wasn’t going to argue. He knew how she felt. Hadn’t it always been that way with Bolin? Bolin was born adorable; everyone liked him, petted him, let him get away with murder. They still did! Mako had been prickly; temperamental and introverted, obsessed with an inconvenient sense of justice and fairness even when he was small. He could remember going with his mother and Bolin, visiting his father down at the big open marketplace where he worked, the ladies in the nearby stalls exclaiming over Bolin, pinching his cheeks and giving him sweets. No one had ever pinched his cheeks - not that he wanted them to, let’s make that very clear - and if they gave him sweets it was only because they felt guilty for singling out Bolin and forgetting about his serious and intense older brother.
He spoke without thinking it through. “You like school? I liked school.”
Bai nodded. “Yeah. I like reading and writing best.” She shrugged and looked away, like it meant nothing to her, but he caught the little squirm of embarrassment she gave. “Sometimes I like to write stories. About stuff.” She looked at him sideways and held her breath a little; waiting to see how he’d react to that statement.
He nodded slowly. “I liked math best. I was good at math.” That was an understatement. He was what his teacher had called gifted at math, soaking up new problems and ideas like a sponge, numbers sprawled extravagantly all over his school slate. He remembered the pleasure of getting so caught up in a tricky equation that the rest of the world dropped away, the feeling of jubilation and satisfaction when he got the answer right. He always got the answers right. His parents had been so proud.
“C’mon,” he said, and held out his hand to her. “I really do have to be somewhere today, but I can give you a ride up the street and back. For now. We can take a longer ride later.”
She frowned a little, suspicious. “How come?”
He knew what she meant. “Let’s just say one good student to another. You coming, or aren’t you?”
She dragged herself forward, and Mako knew without being told that she was waiting for the moment when he’d take it back; change his mind or tell her it was all just a joke, ha ha, funny stuff. He knew that feeling, too. “Bai, I’m not making fun. I’ll give you a quick ride today and then on my next day off we’ll ask your parents and if they say okay we’ll go for a long ride. Just me and you. I swear.”
She wanted to believe, he could see, and his throat tightened up. He knew how that felt, too, Spirits did he know! Wanting to trust, wanting something so badly you were willing to risk disappointment or a little humiliation for it. “Cross your heart hope to die stick a needle in your eye?” she said all in one breath, staring up at him defiantly. He solemnly crossed over his heart with his right forefinger, pointing the same finger at his eye before extending his crooked pinky at her. “Pinky swear.”
Her hand darted out and her pinky curled around his, tugging slightly. “We can go now?”
In response he turned and tugged his helmet off the back of the bike, lowering it gently around her head and adjusting the chin strap so that it would stay on. He swung one leg gracefully over and sat down; twisting around he reached his hands out to lift her easily behind him. “I’m not going to let you drop, okay? Put your feet here,” he demonstrated with his own, “and hold on tight to my waist. You got it? Don’t let go of me.”
She nodded, nestling forward until she was right up against him, her little arms barely making it all the way around his waist.
“Okay, it’s a little loud, so don’t be scared.”
“I’m not scared!” she squeaked, offended, and he grinned.
“Course you’re not,” he said, and fired the bike up. “Hang on tight!” He gave it a little gas and she clutched at him with a little scream, her legs involuntarily curling up. He took her down Asami’s impossibly long driveway, out the main gate, and down to the end of road before looping the bike smoothly around to head back.
She pounded him with one small imperious fist. “Go faster!” He laughed, and picked up some speed. Nothing too fast, of course, but for a kid who had never been on a bike before it probably felt like a lot faster than it was. He took her back up the driveway and switched the bike off, craning around the seat to look down at her. Her eyes were shining and she was grinning, her face transformed from the sullen expression it was usually carrying.
“It was like flying! Just like flying,” she burbled, and he grinned back at her while carefully handing her down. He reached over and unfastened the helmet, sliding it from her head.
“You liked that?”
“It was the best! The best!” Suddenly she flung her skinny little arms around him to give him a brief, hard hug. “Thanks, Mako.” She pulled herself back and dropped his gaze, embarrassed by her impetuousness. “Thanks.”
“No problem,” he said. “Look, I have a long way to go today, so I really do have to go. But my next day off. You. Me. It’s a date, okay? I promise. I won’t forget.”
“Promise?” She asked, meeting his eyes again, and the vulnerability in her eyes killed him, just a little bit. He crossed his heart again and nodded.
“Okay,” she said, and then, casually, “Maybe you could read one of my stories sometime. You know. If you wanted to. No big deal if you don’t.”
She was breaking his heart, she really was. He put his hands together, helmet dangling, and bowed from his seat. “It would be my honor to read one of your stories, Bai.”
“Okay!” she repeated, and she dashed back into the house without looking back. He pulled on the helmet, readjusting it before sliding his goggles back on, buttoning up his jacket and tugging on his gloves. He figured it was going to take him about three hours to get where he was going and he was already a half hour later than he wanted to be leaving. Time to go. He started the bike up again, threw it into gear, and roared down the driveway.
Chapter 10: The Aroma Of Cabbage: Getting Back To Republic City
Summary:
Archived from a Tumblr prompt:
"A kiss... as a promise"
Chapter Text
“He’s finally shut up, does that mean he’s sleeping?” Korra’s lip curled up as she gazed down at the man gathered up in his arms.
“Give him a break, Korra. He hasn’t had the best day.” He shifted his position, a cabbage digging into a kidney. Cabbages were surprisingly uncomfortable to sit on. The smell left something to be desired as well. Not to mention that carts bumping down dirt roads were seriously overrated as transportation. This was exactly why he hated being in the country.
“Nothing says welcome back Korra like riding around in a cabbage cart with a guy that keeps puking his guts out.”
“Bend yourself home, then,” he snapped, glaring at her, and she opened her mouth to reply but Asami beat her to it.
“Korra, come sit with me for a bit?” With a grunt Korra shoved herself across the cart to drop down right next to Asami, sitting with her legs dangling over the edge of the cart. Oh yeah, something was going on there, but he was too jacked up and worried about Wu to parse it through at the moment.
Wu didn’t look good. He had puked; several times, in fact, until nothing was left but bile. Whatever drugs they’d given him to keep him quiet and compliant had clearly been pretty strong. He was like a child in his arms, so thin and loose-limbed. Wu was normally a pretty light sleeper - the least little noise woke him up, and he’d often roam their hotel suite at night, unable to sleep - but he was completely gone at this point. Still drugged, then. Water would help, but he kept puking that up as well. Well, he’d try to give him some more when he woke up again.
He’d be glad to pass him over to his family when they got back to town. He wasn’t very good at this kind of thing.
Wu stirred, his eyes fluttering open. “Mako?”
“Yeah. It’s me. You’re okay, we’re going back to Republic City. You’re safe now.”
“Safe?” he repeated, his eyes drooping shut again.
“Yeah. I’ve got you.”
He smiled, very faintly, before going boneless again, back into sleep, his mouth open. Fuck. The guy already was scared of his own shadow, what was this going to do to him? He’d have to talk to Beifong as soon as they got back, tell her that she needed to get him a different bodyguard, maybe even a team. He clearly didn’t have the situation in hand - if he had, none of this would have happened.
“Sorry,” he muttered, shifting Wu again. “I’m really sorry. It’s all my fault.” He reached over and gently pushed his bangs, sweat-soaked and curling with it, away from his face. “I’ll make sure someone else will keep you safe, I promise.” Without thinking about it he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.
What the fuck was that about, then? He glanced over at the girls but they were sitting with their heads together, talking softly, looking out over the road behind them. He frowned and caught himself before he shoved Wu away. Fuck, but he was an idiot. Not the time, Mako. Not the place. Not the guy.
Fuck this day, up, down and sideways.
Chapter 11: Dealing With The Aftermath: The Beifongs Arrive In Republic City
Summary:
Archived from a Tumblr prompt:
"A kiss... as an apology"
Chapter Text
They’d all climbed off of Juicy, exhausted and cold, Pema organizing hot baths and beds and taking the twins inside while Tenzin whisked away Mom, Zhu Li and Aunt Lin to find out what the situation was in Zaofu. Grandma hadn’t come with them as far as Republic City; she’d asked to be dropped back off in the swamp. Mom had tried to argue with her but Aunt Lin had finally put her arm around Mom and had just shook her head at her, silent.
Huan was sprawled on the ground, refusing to speak, rocking back and forth, Dad on his knees next to him, trying to quietly convince him to go inside.
“Is he okay?” Bolin asked, coming up behind her. She shook her head, trying not to cry.
Bolin stood there for a moment, fidgeting, before hunkering down in front of him. “Hey there, Huan. It’s Bolin. It’s pretty cold out here, and inside is nice. Warm, and the beds are comfy. And I know they aren’t your beds or anything, and this isn’t really your home, and it feels pretty rotten to have to leave your home, boy, I know all about it, I mean, I had to leave mine when I was six and talk about cold!” He was so earnest, trying to help. “But if you come inside you’ll be safe, and we can make sure you are in the same bedroom as your brothers, okay? Wei and Wing? Would that be okay? I know I always felt better when I could sleep near my brother, let me tell you!”
Dad was looking at Bolin, his shoulders slumped and his hands trembling enough that she could see them. She was afraid he was going to topple right over. She went to him and put her hands down to help him up, and as she did Ikki came outside, already dressed in her pajamas.
“It’s okay, Dad,” she said quietly. “Bolin will keep an eye on him. Please come inside. Please.”
“No,” Dad said, shaking his head. “I can’t leave him.”
“Hi, Huan,” Ikki said, and sat down cross-legged in front of him. “Remember me?”
“Little Bird,” Huan whispered, and he took in a deep, ragged breath.
“You should go with Bolin. And me, okay? We could go with you inside.” Ikki smiled at him. “This is my house. It’s peaceful and safe here. I promise.” She held her hand out, small and sure, and slowly, Huan put his hand out, touching his fingertips to hers. “Can Bolin help you up? Do you need some help? I can still hold your hand.”
Huan was silent for a long moment before nodding, the barest of movements.
“Gently, Bolin,” Dad said, and Bolin was, putting a hand to Huan’s back, helping him up as Ikki held on to his hand as promised. He and Ikki slowly moved Huan inside, she and Dad following along behind. She went ahead to speak to Pema and they moved another bed into the room they had quickly put together for the twins, who were getting out of the bath, wearing robes lent to them by the air acolytes. They all agreed that Huan could bathe after some sleep and Bolin eased him onto the bed, Dad taking off his boots and the twins sitting next to him. Ikki curled up at the end of his bed, quiet for once, just watching him.
Bolin took Dad off to the baths and she went to find her mother and her aunt, still discussing things with Tenzin, her aunt on the phone with the President of Republic City, arguing about something with him. She practically dragged her mother out and down to the baths; her mother would never let on, of course, but she was as exhausted as the rest of them. She finally escorted her parents to the room next to the boys, her parents insisting on looking in on them. The twins were fast asleep; Ikki was still curled into a ball at Huan’s feet, asleep as well. Hard to tell with Huan, but his eyes were closed and he didn’t respond, so they let him be. Tenzin came to fetch Ikki to bed and she finally went to her own room, too tired to even worry about anything but crawling into bed herself.
Bolin was there, waiting for her, sitting on the edge of her bed, hands resting on his thighs. “Is everybody in bed?”
She nodded. “Thank you. For everything, Bolin, for…for helping to save them, for saving Zhu Li, for…for everything.”
His eyes filled up. “Opal, I’m so sorry. For everything. For following Kuvira the way I did and not listening to you and I just…I would do anything to make it right, anything. I love you so much.”
“I know you were trying to do the right thing with Kuvira.” She knew it was true, even when she’d been so furious with him for all of it.
“Still, though.” He wiped his eyes off on his sleeve. “I was wrong and I hurt you and your family and I’m sorry.” He cleared his throat and stood up. “Anyway, I should let you go to bed. It’s really late and today was a pretty bad day.”
She reached out to snag her fingers into his open coat. “You could stay.”
His face lit up but just as quickly dropped again. “Uh, I haven’t had a bath yet and uh…let’s just say that you don’t want me in your bed.”
She laughed, surprising herself. “I haven’t had a bath either, you know. I don’t exactly smell sweet myself.”
He shook his head. “Nope. Not possible.”
She lifted up her arm and waved it under his nose. “Oh, these wingsuits can get pretty ripe, believe me.”
“Whoooo,” he said, wrinkling up his nose. “Well.” She laughed again and he gave her one of his lopsided grins.
“Come on, we can stink up my bed together.”
“Are you sure?” He was gazing at her, all of the love he felt for her right there on his face, not hidden a bit, and oh spirits, she really hoped he never did something completely awful and unforgivable, because she couldn’t resist him, not at all.
“Kiss me and find out,” she said, and he did.
Chapter 12: An Agonizing Determination: Mako Returns To Work
Summary:
Archived from a Tumblr prompt:
"A kiss... on a scar"
Chapter Text
“So this is the temporary station, huh?” Bolin was looking around, picking up various things and putting them back down again, like he always did. “I guess the old one’s gone for good.”
“Yeah, well. Not enough left of it to even repair.” He went to reach for a folder with his bad arm and winced, hoping Bolin hadn’t noticed.
He noticed. “If it’s hurting you that bad then why aren’t you home?”
Mako shrugged. “Beifong needs everyone she’s got right now. Healer said I could come to work so long as I kept to my desk and didn’t put any strain on it.”
Bolin frowned. “Not a good idea.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means,” and here he picked up a pen and tried to balance it on top of his knuckles, lunging to catch it as it tumbled to the floor, “that there’s no way you’re going to be content to sit at that desk right there.”
“Hmph.” He didn’t have an answer to that so he leaned forward to snatch the pen with his good hand. “Don’t break that, we’re short of everything.”
“Seriously, though. How bad is it?”
“It’s fine.”
“Then how come you won’t let me look at it?”
“Bolin, I have to keep it wrapped! It was burned, okay? The skin was damaged. I can’t just wave it around.”
His frown deepened into a scowl. “You let that Prince Wu guy look at it.”
Mako sighed. “Only because Grandma was changing the dressing and he barged on in there. He’s nosy, what can I say?”
“I’m nosy, and you didn’t show it to me.”
“You’re staying on the Island. I’m staying with Grandma. How the fuck am I supposed to show it to you?” Bolin didn’t answer, just started fiddling with the phone cord. He sighed. “Look, it’s ugly, okay? And gross. It’s bad, is that what you want to know? It’s disgusting. It hurts. A lot. Most nights I can’t even sleep, that’s how much it hurts. I’m going to have significant scarring, the healer says, and I can’t even bend with it, so how about you get off my ass and let me sit at this fucking desk and do the only fucking thing I can manage to do right now?” He only realized he was shouting when he saw Beifong’s head poke out of her office, glaring at him. He gave her a weak little wave and after a moment she grunted and pulled back in there, looking like a turtleduck escaping back into her shell.
Bolin stared down at the phone. “Sorry,” he mumbled.
He sighed again. “No, I’m sorry. I’m not in a very good mood, that’s all.”
“I didn’t know it was so bad.”
“Yeah, well. It is. Nothing I can do about it.”
“You could stay home.” Bolin could out-stubborn a damn mountain.
“I’m not staying home, so leave it.” He dropped the pen and awkwardly shuffled over the folder, opening it one-handed and fixing his gaze on it. Something about looting at several of the downtown markets. Big surprise. People were hungry, and supplies were still only arriving sporadically. It was only going to get worse before it got better.
“Do you maybe want me to come over tonight? Me and Opal, maybe? Just to sort of visit?” He could hear the hope in the questions and didn’t have the heart to refuse him, even though all he really wanted to do when he got home every night was crawl into bed and wait for the pain in his arm to go from an inferno to a dull roar. Which it never really did.
“Sure. That’d be great. Grandma would love it.” He mustered up a little smile for him. “She really likes Opal, you know.”
“Really?” Bolin’s face lit up. “I mean, not that I’m surprised or anything, because who doesn’t like Opal, right?”
“Right.”
“So okay! Me and Opal, we’ll swing by! We can come on Juicy!”
“Sounds great.” He looked back down at his paperwork. “I should really get back to this, though.”
“Right! Sure, sure, official police business, got to respect the law.” He was grinning. “I’ll just show myself the door.”
“Right. See you tonight, then.” He gave him a little nod as he started to head off, looking back down at the paperwork again. Fuck, but his arm hurt, enough that he was starting to get sweaty with it. It was another two hours before he was due any of the pain powder from the healer, though.
“Hey, Mako?”
He glanced up. “Aren’t you gone yet?”
Bolin smiled, raising his fingers to his mouth, kissing them and then blowing his direction. “That’s for your arm. I wouldn’t want to really kiss it, you’d probably let me have it.”
He managed a faint chuckle. “I would.” He met his brother’s eyes, green just like their father’s and always so damn loving, and dredged up another smile. “Thanks, Bo.”
“I love you. Just in case you forgot.”
“Never,” he said, and thought, as he watched him thread his way through the chaos to the door, how glad he was that his baby brother was back in town to stay.
Chapter 13: A Nightmarish Remembrace: Mako Tells Wu About His Parents
Summary:
Archived from Tumblr.
A nightmare leads to remembrance.
Notes:
Content warning for this chapter. Scroll down to the bottom if you need to know potential triggers.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Mama…”
Wu blinked his eyes open in the dim of the bedroom and tried to orient himself. The faintest smudge of gray was slicing through a break in the shutters; it must be sometime in the very early morning. He skimmed his hand over the rumpled sheets and felt for Mako.
Mako was always a defensive sleeper, hunched up into a fetal position, taking up as little room as possible, back to the wall. He couldn’t sleep at all if his back was exposed, so they’d pushed the bed in his rooms in the palace against the far wall of the bedroom. He assumed it made making the bed a bit of a pain but since the maids were the ones making the bed he'd never said a word. He could feel that Mako was pressed as far back as the wall would allow.
Mako mumbled something that Wu couldn’t quite make out. His breathing was picking up and the hand closest to Wu clenched in on itself. It was that dream, the dream where Mako called out for his mother. That dream usually resulted in a tearful and agitated Mako and stayed with him for hours after he woke, putting him in a dismal mood.
Wu inched himself a little closer, putting his hand to Mako’s chest. “Mako,” he said softly, and shook him gently. “Wake up. Come on, wake up.”
No response but another muttered sigh. Wu pushed a little harder. “Come on, Mako. Wake up now.”
Mako moaned, a guttural sound that made Wu’s hair stand up. “Maaaaaama…”
Wu sat up to give himself more leverage and put his hands on Mako’s chest and shoulder, shoving as hard as he could. “Wake up now, Mako! Wake up!” He pushed so hard that Mako rocked slightly, and suddenly Mako had him in a painful grip, fingers hooked into his arms. “It’s me! Mako, it’s me!”
Mako blinked furiously, breath stuttering as he tried to come all the way into consciousness. “I…” he trailed off and then swallowed. “Wu?”
“Darling, you’re hurting me, can you let me go?”
Mako’s fingers immediately released. “Are…? I didn’t…” He shook his head, shoving himself backwards until he was sitting up with his back against the wall. “I’m not…”
“You were having a nightmare,” Wu said, reaching out a hand to pet Mako’s knee. “One of the bad ones. I’m sorry, I thought maybe it was best to wake you up.”
Mako nodded and ran a hand through his hair. “Uh huh,” he said, still trying to get his brain to work. Wu knew that it would take him a few moments - Mako was one of those people who dragged himself slowly and reluctantly out of sleep - and so he slid off the bed to fill a tooth glass in the bathroom with cold water. He crawled carefully back onto the bed. “I’ve some water for you,” he said, and felt for Mako’s hand. “Here.” He closed Mako’s hand around the glass and Mako drank, swallows loud in the dimness.
“Did I hurt you?”
“It’s fine.” In point of fact, Wu was pretty sure he was going to have finger bruises on his arms but he wasn’t going to get into it right then and there. They could talk about it later.
They sat in the stillness of the early morning gloom for awhile, the only sound the inadvertent slithering of the glass being dragged in circles across the linen sheets. For once Wu wasn’t willing to break the silence.
“She was pregnant, you know.” Mako’s voice was so weary. Weary and sad.
“Who? Your mother?” Wu still couldn’t see more than the outline of him so he felt out again, his hand making contact with Mako’s thigh. He left it there and settled back against the headboard, moving his feet so that they were touching Mako’s shins.
“I’m not sure how far along. Not very far, I don’t think. I don’t remember her looking very pregnant, although she was a fairly tall woman, so maybe she wouldn’t have shown quite so early. I don’t know. I overheard her and my Dad talking about it one night not long before they died, they thought I was asleep. My mother was hoping for a girl. Bolin didn’t know. Still doesn’t know, I never told him. Mama caught me listening in, told me that it was our little secret. I was pretty excited about that, it made me feel all grown up, having a secret with just my parents like that. That’s where the scarf came from, you know? She was trying to learn how to knit and all she could manage was that scarf, she couldn’t get the whole curvy thing you need to make those little baby boots. She got really mad about it and was going to throw it away but my Dad said it was the nicest looking scarf he’d ever seen. He wore it everywhere, even though he never wore red and it clashed with everything he owned. He’d tell everyone that came to the fruit stand that my mother made it for him.” Mako huffed out a small breath of amusement. “My mother pretended to be mad about it but I think she was pleased. She always turned pink whenever he told people she made it.”
“Your grandmother really treasures it. She never took it off.”
“Before I gave it to her I never took it off either. It was the last thing we had of theirs. I don’t even know what happened to all of our stuff, the people came and took us to the orphanage and all we had were the clothes we were wearing. Bolin had a little stuffed platypus bear that he couldn’t sleep without and they didn’t even let him take that. The first time I ran away from the orphanage was because I was trying to get back home so I could get it for him. It couldn’t have been more than a week or two from the time my parents died and someone else had already moved into our house and all of our things were gone. Bolin cried after that damn thing for months and months. Who would do that? Who wouldn’t let a little boy who had just lost his parents take along his toy? I’ve never understood that. Never.”
“I’m so sorry, Mako.”
“It’s not even that I feel responsible. I did, when I was younger, but that’s just stupid. I was an eight year old kid and there were three of them, all firebenders. Agni Kai, maybe? Maybe not. They cut my father down before he could even reach for his wallet. Hell, I wonder now if they even wanted money. I don’t think they did. I think they were just looking for an excuse to start burning. At least my father, he didn’t suffer. My mother though, she fought back. Trying to protect me, trying to protect the baby too, I guess.” He was silent again. When he spoke again his voice was hoarse. “I kept my eyes closed. Mama had pushed me behind some boxes when they approached, told me to stay there and not make a sound. I couldn’t really see anything from where I was, but kept my eyes closed anyhow. I could hear them, though. They hurt my mother before they killed her. Hurt her so badly. She kept begging them to stop, told them she was pregnant. They just laughed.” He was crying now, and Wu pressed himself into his side, hands wrapping around his waist. “I stayed hidden for the longest time after I heard them leave. I kept calling for her, but she didn’t answer. I had Daddy’s scarf already - it was cold that day, I had gone after school to help him out at the fruit stand and he had wrapped it around my neck to keep me warm. Mama had left Bolin with the neighbor lady and had come to meet us, walk home with us. She was telling me that she’d have to make me a scarf of my own when the men came walking towards us. I guess my folks must have sensed they wanted trouble because she just shoved me behind the boxes then and there. I don’t know if they didn’t know I was there or knew and didn’t care but they let me be either way. I don’t know. I just don’t know.” He sighed, a trembling sound.
“I’m sorry. So sorry.”
“I came out from behind the boxes and I knew they were dead. My mother…I can’t…” He took a deep breath. “I always told Bolin they had been mugged and killed and that’s true. I never told him about what happened to our mother. What good would it have done? I never wanted him to carry that, never. You won’t tell him, will you?”
“No. Of course not.”
“Okay. Okay.” Mako’s arms crept around Wu, the glass bumping into the back of his head. “I’m okay. It’s okay.”
Wu was pretty damn sure that it was not, in fact, okay, but he wasn’t going to press the point. He leaned back so he could loosen Mako’s grip on the glass and put it on the nightstand. He wriggled his way back down, head on the pillow, and held out his arms. “C’mere.”
“I don’t think I’ll be able to fall back asleep,” Mako warned.
“Doesn’t matter. At least let me hold you, then.”
Mako didn’t answer and didn’t move for a few moments. Then, with another sigh, he eased himself back down onto the mattress, back against Wu instead of the wall. Wu wrapped his arms around him and pressed a kiss into the back of his neck.
The light coming through the chink in the shutters was shading into a faint pink when Mako started to weep again. Wu just held him, making himself into as much of a protective wall as he could.
Notes:
Violent death and sexual assault.
Chapter 14: An Overdue Homecoming: Jinora Alone
Summary:
Archived from a Tumblr prompt:
"Can I open my eyes yet?"
Chapter Text
It'd been several months since Jinora had seen Kai. He’d been sent out with a large troop from the United Forces, led by General Iroh, that was tasked with liberating all of the camps Kuvira had established in the former Earth Empire. Uncle Bumi and Opal had gone as well, taking Bolin with them. Her father got regular dispatches detailing their progress, but it wasn’t like she had time to worry about it anyhow. The airbenders left on Air Temple Island had their own work cut out for them, helping the earthbenders who were slowly bringing down the buildings too damaged to repair, passing out basic supplies to the residents left homeless, that sort of thing. Jinora herself was helping Korra work through what her father liked to call “the little spirit issue,” which wasn’t so little and was more of a problem than an issue, that’s for sure. The spirits were pretty worked up about the new spirit portal; some of them wanted it shut down immediately while others were having a grand old time inundating Republic City, causing a lot of headaches, quite frankly. Headaches that she was supposed to be resolving, in fact.
So it wasn’t that she didn’t miss Kai. It’s just that she barely had any time to spend thinking about him. They’d exchanged a few letters, but his were infrequent and she couldn’t think of an interesting or amusing way to detail the hours of negotiation that would come to nothing when a spirit took offense at something Korra said and flew off in a huff. She loved Korra, she did, but even though Korra was giving it her all her diplomacy skills still had plenty of rough edges on them. As her father also liked to say, it was a work in progress.
She was trying to write up one of the endlessly boring reports that President Raiko demanded on a regular basis when Ikki popped her head into her room. “Hey. You have a minute?”
“Not really, no.” Jinora sighed. She was trying not to be resentful of Ikki. Just yesterday she’d dealt with the very irritable and very large celery-looking spirit that Jinora had spent two weeks negotiating with by challenging it to a race and winning, sending it back to the spirit world for good as the penalty for losing. It was just so…Ikki…of her. Jinora loved her sister, but there were times when she’d like nothing more than to kick her in the seat of her pants.
“Oh, I think you’ll want to take a minute.”
Jinora sighed again. When Ikki got like this there was no point in trying to get around her; she’d just persist until she wore you down. “Fine. A minute. But only a minute, okay? I really have to get this finished.”
Ikki grinned her victory. “Okay, close your eyes.”
“Ikki!”
“Just humor me, okay? Come on, do it.”
“Fine,” Jinora tried not to clench her teeth. She closed her eyes. And waited. And waited some more. “Ikki? Are you there? This isn’t funny, I’m busy. Can I open my eyes yet?”
“Go ahead,” said a familiar voice, and her eyes flew open to see Kai in front of her, grinning. With a gasp of joy she flew into his arms.
Chapter 15: An Intoxicated Coquetry: Nuo Flirts with Yumi
Summary:
Archived from the OC Kiss Week 2018 prompt from Tumblr. First kiss: Yumi and Nuo
(Not quite set in Republic City, but close enough!)
Chapter Text
Wu was sitting on his ass in the middle of the deck, clad in nothing but his silk undershorts, laughing uproariously, holding his hands in front of him, yelling, “Seven!” and breaking up all over again. She had no idea what was setting him off, but she had to laugh in return. Poor kid. He had hardly any laughter left in him these days. She’d been against this damn trip to the Southeast Provinces but he’d insisted, and when he got a buzzard wasp up his ass about anything then he wouldn’t back down for love or money. Royalty. What could you do? She was paid to keep him safe, not argue with him. She left that part of it to all of his damned advisors.
She’d also been against the whole cactus juice thing on the grounds of security, but he’d started to throw one of his fits, so she’d stepped back and given in, like pretty much everyone else but Nuo did when he got His Majesty on. She’d made arrangements to get some delivered and then had gone to tell the Dai Li that she’d have their guts for garters if they let anyone but her in and out of the royal airship that night. Let him get it out of his system, then, she’d keep him safe. Although she hoped he kept it from Mako. That man had exactly zero calm when it came to Wu. She still wondered what the actual fuck Lin Beifong had been thinking when she’d made him Wu’s bodyguard. The man didn’t have the temperament for the job, and spirits knew he was far too emotionally invested in Wu. Although maybe that had been the point.
Wu’d purely die a thousand deaths if he realized he’d stripped down to his bare nothing, though. She’d chased him around the deck, finally grabbing him, holding him still while she’d forced his shorts back on him as he’d insisted he was a badgermole, trying to crawl away from her. A badgermole! She couldn’t stop herself from laughing. The kid was practically concave. Eel hound more like it.
Huan had taken some as well, not that anyone could tell the difference between Huan high or sober. He was just laying on the deck, staring up at the stars, muttering about colors to himself. Raava’s kitestrings but he did that kind of thing all the time anyhow. Not that she didn’t like him. She did, actually, Huan Beifong and his odd ways. She figured he’d most likely stay there all night, although she’d keep an eye on him, of course. Sometimes the juice took people the wrong way, and so she’d stay up, make sure all was well. So far so good.
She’d been surprised that Nuo had taken some, though. Nuo was, bar none, the biggest control freak she’d ever met. She’d never have taken her for one that would want to try out cactus juice, of all things. She guessed it was a measure of her trust in the rest of them that she’d potentially expose herself by doing it. She’d only taken a few sips, however; so far she’d mostly been quiet, laying on one of the lounge chairs they had set out on the deck.
Yumi sat, biding her time, for another half hour or so; Huan was still doing his Huan thing and Wu had finally simmered down enough that she’d put him on a chair next to Nuo, covering him lightly with a blanket and letting him be. She thought Nuo might be drowsing; she still hadn’t really been doing much besides just laying there. She was surprised, therefore, when Nuo got up from her chair and came to sit next to her.
“You okay there, Miss Nuo?” Hard to tell if her pupils were dilated, the irises of her eyes were that dark.
“Mmmmhmmmm,” she said, and Yumi had to grin. A mellow Nuo was a new Nuo, for sure. “I feel just fine.” A slow smile.
“Do you need anything?”
“Yumi, you’re very big, aren’t you?” She leaned in closer.
“Comes in handy, my line of work.”
“Really, really big.” She reached out one of those little hands and ran it along her bicep. Yumi felt her eyebrows soar up to her hairline. “I bet you could just pick me up and carry me off.”
She could, as it happened, but that wasn’t the point. “You feeling okay?”
“Yumi?” Nuo leaned against her, those breasts of hers pushing against her arm, spilling over to press all warm and soft against her torso. Damn. There was plenty to go around, too. Nuo was what her oldest sister liked to call bountiful. “Do you think I’m pretty?”
“Sure, Miss Nuo.” She was a fucking knockout, no mistake, but that was neither here nor there. “How about I go get you a blanket, you lay back down for a bit?”
Miss Nuo was having exactly none of that. “You do think I’m pretty?” She was practically in her lap at this point. Time to dock this boat before she did something she’d enjoy in the present and regret like fuck later.
“Yeah, time for you to lay down. You want to go lay next to Dumpling?” She tried to stand but Nuo clung to her, her hair slipping out of all the knots and buns and things she always put it into to hang around her face. She wasn’t sure how long all of it was but she’d lay a month’s salary it went past her waist. It’d probably hang around her like a curtain, and sweep across her body like…nope. Nope. Not going to happen. She was on duty, for one thing, and for another, it was a whole list of bad ideas.
“No, I want to lay down next to you.”
“Miss Nuo. I’m on duty. Be a good girl and go lay down, okay?”
Nuo put a hand to her throat. “I don’t want to be a good girl.” Her other hand slid down her thigh and Yumi took in a sharp breath. “I’m tired of being a good girl.”
“Yeah well…” she trailed off. She didn’t actually have an answer for that beyond shit alive or what the fuck is going on here or possibly girl, I would ride you hard and put you away wet. So instead she got up and moved away before going down on her haunches to look Nuo in the eyes. “Miss Nuo, you are a beautiful woman. Very attractive, and I’m not the only one to notice. But you’ve got that man of yours waiting for you in Zaofu and a woman like you deserves nothing but the best.”
Her hands crept up to her hair and it loosened as if by magic; slowly tumbling down as hairpins were disgorged to the deck. “I do deserve the best.” Oh, it went well past her waist, a soft black cloud of hair. Ah fuck, but she was killing her, here. She was still just a baby; not quite twenty, her skin flawless in the moonlight. Had she thought about it? Of course she had. She liked women who had plenty of confidence, and Nuo had enough for twenty women or more. She’d thought about what might happen if that girl ever lost her ironclad control; she wasn’t a braggart, no, but she knew what she was about and knew she could get her exactly where she wanted her if she tried.
Thing was, Nuo wasn’t the kind of girl you played around with. Nuo was a woman for keeps, a woman you devoted your life to. She’d get that from Wing Beifong; just a boy himself, but he was shaping up to be a damn good man. He’d love her and care for her, make a good life with her. Nuo was going places, and doors would open for her when she was a Beifong.
She couldn’t give her any of that. Oh, she could show her a damn good time tonight, keep it going for a few weeks, a few months at most. But then she’d be ready to move on, the way she always was. That’s who she was, and she’d always made sure she found women who wanted nothing more than that from her. Some good times, companionship, hot sex, sure, but nothing permanent. She was friends with a good portion of her former lovers, and she liked it that way.
It wasn’t for Nuo, though. And once upon a time, when she’d been young and stupid, she’d taken up with a woman like Nuo, had broken her heart into a million pieces and ruined her. Never again. She was older and wiser now, and that’s why she was going to put this girl to bed alone and chalk the night up to cactus juice. Most likely Nuo wouldn’t even remember it come morning.
“You deserve Wing. It’s not going to happen, Miss Nuo, so let’s stop all of this now. You go on and lay down over there, try and get some sleep.”
Nuo stared at her, saying nothing, the breeze playing with the ends of her hair. Finally, she smiled. “One kiss,” she said. “One kiss, and then I’ll be good.”
She shook her head. “Come on now, Miss Nuo. You and I both know it isn’t going to happen.”
“Yes it is,” Nuo replied, and it was the confidence in her voice, that self-assurance that made her ache, hot and sweet. She crooked a finger at her. “One kiss, Yumi, and then I’ll be the best girl in the world.”
Ah, she was killing her. It was a bad idea, and she’d regret it. But damn it, there she sat, chin tilted up, dimples showing, and Yumi was still human. So she moved forward, grabbed a fistful of that soft, silky hair and kissed that girl for all she was worth. And fuck it, she got that bossy little mouth of hers open and ran her tongue along that sharp little tongue, crushing Nuo close to her, enjoying the softness of her. She kissed her until Nuo went limp her arms, until she knew if she didn’t stop kissing her right then and there she wasn’t going to stop at all. She broke away to gaze down at her, her eyes closed and her face flushed, her breasts heaving. It took every single bit of her discipline, all of her strict Kyoshi training, to let her go and stand up, take a step or two back.
Nuo’s eyelashes fluttered open. “Oh Yumi,” she said, and then, thank the seas and beyond, said nothing more than that.
“Go on now,” she said, hardening her voice. “You had your kiss and you made a promise. Go on and lay down next to Dumpling.” She crossed her arms and waited as Nuo stood unsteadily, wobbling her way over to Wu. Normally she would have gone to help her, but not tonight. Maybe not for a little while.
She shouldn’t have done it, damn it. Ah well. Done and done, as her Ma would say. Can’t change the past, just have to live with it. With any luck she’d just think it was a juice dream and all would be forgotten. She waited until Nuo laid herself down, her hand creeping out to take Wu’s in hers. Oh, that was the juice alright. Dumpling was always His Majesty this and His Majesty that for Nuo, she’d never take his hand if she wasn’t still flying. Wu didn’t even move, his eyes closed, a little smile on his face. Dreaming of badgermoles, most likely.
Once she was sure Nuo was quiet she draped a blanket over her as well. She murmured something about roses, she didn’t catch it and it didn’t matter anyhow. She walked over to where Huan was still laying, sprawled on the deck. “You okay down there?”
Huan peered up at her. “Shhhhh,” he said. “I can’t hear the little bird up here. The roots ran away to the sky.”
Well, hard to say if that was the juice or not - with Huan, who could tell? - but he seemed fine for the moment, so she took her seat again and taking out her katana, started to sharpen it.
Chapter 16: A Charming Beginning: LoLo Meets Naoki
Summary:
Archived from the OC Kiss Week 2018 prompt from Tumblr. First kiss: LoLo and Naoki
Chapter Text
It was pretty here, he had to admit; plenty of soft, rolling green hills, dipping into valleys, warm but without the sticky humidity you’d find in and around the Fire Nation’s Capital City. It wasn’t all that long of a drive down from the harbor in Republic City; he was guessing folks could easily drive up if they wanted to, dip their country toes in a bit of city life.
He didn’t know much about the family. General Iroh had told him that they were originally from Ba Sing Se, refugees after the Red Lotus had torn the city apart. Apparently a nephew of the family was a native of Republic City and had worked for a few years as the bodyguard for King Hou-Ting, the one that was in the process of abdicating. Hou-Ting had been the one that had contacted the Firelord on their behalf. He’d also given the family the property here, a vineyard with a small estate and they’d settled in just a few months prior. They had two little foster daughters, one of whom, the two year old, had just started throwing flame. The family did have a few earthbenders - not surprising, being from Ba Sing Se and all - but couldn’t handle a firebender, of course. The General had asked him to come and stay with them for a few months, keep the little one from burning the place down until they figured out what to do with her. He understood the Firelord was making inquiries about finding her a permanent placement with a Fire Nation family. It wasn’t exactly what he was used to - being the head cook of a naval battleship was a far cry from playing nanny to a little girl - but he supposed it would give him a chance to figure out what he wanted to do next. Truth be told, he was grateful to General Iroh as well as the Firelord for thinking of him.
The driver, after consulting a map, eventually turned down a long gated driveway that opened up onto a beautiful home. Grapevines to every side, and quite a few fruit trees to boot. He eased himself out of the back seat, clutching onto his cane, his knee stiff and aching after the drive. Damn the knee, anyhow! It wasn’t enough that it ruined his livelihood; it had to hurt like this, too? As the driver went to fetch his duffel out of the trunk a woman bustled out of the door, bowing.
“Hello there! You must be Lozan. I’m LiLing. Welcome!” She called back towards the house. “Tu! Make yourself useful for once and come and take Mister Lozan’s bag for him!”
She took him inside and immediately sat him down for a cup of tea, introducing her mother-in-law as well as several other members of the extended family. Her husband and older son were out in the fields, and her adult daughter was currently up in Republic City, beginning her studies at the university, something which the family spoke of with pride. They were a friendly group of folks; unpretentious, open, curious about his past without being nosy about it. After tea she showed him to the room they’d made up for him; he asked where the child was sleeping and was told on the floor above. “She’ll need to be in the room with me,” he said, ignoring his knee’s insistent throbbing. “At least until she gets some control over that bending. Baby firebenders are a menace.”
LiLing took him into the garden in the back. “We try to keep her outdoors as much as possible, less damage that way. She’s always been happier when she can move around. She’s a very active child.” Her tone told him that active was a polite way of putting it. “She does bend when she’s upset of course.” She smiled. “No different than an earthbending child, when it comes down to it, and I have three of those.” She slowed down a little, to match his stiff and shambling pace. “But sometimes the fire seems to come out of nowhere.”
He laughed. “One of my younger sisters managed to torch all of her bedsheets in her sleep every night for two weeks at one point. I thought my poor mother was going to tear her hair out.” He gazed around him. “This is a lovely garden you have here.”
“Hello!” A plump little girl, about six or thereabouts, ran up to them.
“This is Shu,” her mother said, cupping the back of her head. “Shu, this is Lozan. He’s going to be keeping an eye on Naoki for us for a bit. Please bow, sweetling.” Shu bowed and he bowed in return.
“Are you a firebender?”
“That I am, Miss Shu.”
A ragged jet of flame burst over a lushly blooming rhododendron, followed by a shout. “Naoki! No!”
“Oh dear,” LiLing said, and picked up the pace, rounding the corner of the path as he put his cane to good use. “Naoki! Oh sweetling, be careful! Don’t burn Auntie Wen!”
A toddler was running through the grass, laughing, her black hair done up in two rather electrified pigtails, one trailing a bow, the other bare. “Budderfie! Budderfie!” she shrieked, and another gout of flame shot out of her right hand. He whistled softly. Powerful little thing, wasn’t she? Only one of his siblings had been bending by the age of two and he had barely managed anything more than a rare weak flicker. This girl was already throwing a good foot of flame. No wonder her folks were worried.
“Naoki!” LiLing called and the girl turned towards them. His fingers tightened on his cane. Well now! Get a load of those gold eyes! That combined with her rounded cheeks and the delicate point of her chin? He’d grown up in the Firelord’s palace, working in the kitchens with his parents, and he knew Fire Nation nobility when he saw it. These good people from Ba Sing Se wouldn’t know, of course, but if that baby wasn’t some aristocrat’s by-blow he’d eat the damn cane.
She ran towards them, tilting her head up to peer at him. “No, Ma.”
“Naoki, this is Lozan. Can you say hello to Lozan?” LiLing bent down to put a hand to the girl’s back. “Say hello to Lozan, sweetling.”
“No.” Those brows furrowed and she scowled. Oh, no doubt about it. She even glared like a lady of the court. All she needed was a fan and gold in her hair instead of ribbons.
“Naoki, that’s not nice. Please say hello to Lozan.”
He kept her eyes and raised his hand slowly, watching her track it. He let flame blossom; her eyes nearly bulged and she let out with an ear-splitting screech.
“Fire! Fire! Fire!”
He nodded and he moved it close to her, ignoring LiLing’s gasp of alarm. “That’s right, little one. I’m a firebender, just like you.” He closed his hand and it disappeared. She stamped her foot, her outrage clear.
“No! Fire! Do it! fire!”
“Naoki! That is not how we speak to guests!” LiLing put a hand to her chest. “I am so sorry. She’s…well…”
He chuckled. “Temperamental? Determined? Intense?” His hand darted out and grabbed her wrist as she started to thrust it out, making sure his grip was gentle. “Ah ah ah, Naoki. No bending when you’re angry.” He glanced over at her foster mother with a smile. “She’s a fine example of a firebender baby.”
“No!” Naoki tried to pull her hand back, reaching out with her left hand to shoot flame at him. He dropped the cane to deflect it up.
“Strong with both hands, I see. That’s unusual, most young firebenders favor a side. Does she use her feet-” Naoki kicked up a wild spray and he redirected that one as well. “Ah. Never mind.”
“Oh goodness, she’s quite worked up.” The other woman ventured a little closer.
“Lozan, this is my husband's cousin Wen.”
“Pardon my not bowing, ma’am, but I think I need to keep my eyes on this one. She’s not very happy with-” another burst from her foot, instantly diverted. “Oh, we can do this all day, little one.” He grinned. He did like a girl with spirit.
“Naoki’s being naughty.” Little Shu looked smug. “I never bend fire at people.”
“Well, you don’t bend anything at all,” Wen answered with a sniff. “Now come along, Shu. Mister Lozan, I am so glad you’re here.” He just bet she was. One of her sleeves was noticeably scorched. She hustled the older girl out as LiLing hovered at a safe distance.
“I’m sure you’ve got plenty to do,” he said, not taking his eyes off of Naoki. “You can leave her with me. She and I are just going to get to know each other.”
“If you’re sure…”
He risked a quick look and a smile. “I’m as sure as sure can be.”
“I’ll send someone out when it’s time for dinner, then.” She dithered for a moment before walking back towards the house. “Be a good girl, Naoki.”
He met those imperious gold eyes. “Now then. It’s time for you to learn that you can’t just set things on fire when you want to.” She scowled and kicked again. “Or people, while you’re at it.” He let loose of her wrist; before she could dash away he brought up flame in his hand again.
“Ooooh,” she said, reaching out her chubby little hand.
“Careful! You can burn yourself!” He knew she would, of course; all firebenders had an assortment of scars, some worse than others. It all depended on the parents. As the oldest of nine children he’d put in his share and more of keeping an eye on his brothers and sisters while his parents were working; his youngest sister had been a runner, to boot. His mother had come home one night to find that he’d tied her securely with a lead to the clothesline in the backyard. That had gotten him a lecture he was still smarting over, all these years later.
“Here now, little one, let Lozan show you.” He leaned down to pick up his cane, staggering to a nearby bench. The knee had gone straight past protest and into screaming defiance by now. “Come and sit next to me.” He patted next to him and she crawled up and stood up on the seat, using one hand to balance against his shoulder until she had her footing.
“Fire? Lohsh?” She put her hand out, and he turned it palm up, tapping at it.
“Lozan.” He gave one of her pigtails a little tweak.
“Lo.” She reached over with her baby hand and patted his check. “Lo.” A giggle as she brought up her other hand, sandwiching his mouth between them. “LoLo.” Another squish and her giggles intensified. “LoLo!”
He laughed with her, wrapping an arm around her waist. “LoLo’s good enough for me. Do you want LoLo to show you how to do this?” He brought his hand up, palm to the sky, and made just the tiniest of flames slowly bloom. “Not everything has to go full force.”
“Yes, LoLo.” She plopped herself into his lap, ignoring his grunt of surprise, bringing her hand up to match his. “LoLo. Fire. Do it? Fire.”
“Now then, Naoki. Do you know how to be soft?”
“Sof’?” Another one of those haughty frowns.
“Mmmm, that’s right. Soft.” He thought for a moment, and then slapped his free hand to the bench. “See that? That’s hard.”
“Ow,” was the solemn reply.
“Yes, that’s right. Hard often means ow.” He brought his hand back up. “But what if I do it softly? What if it was soft?” He put his hand slowly and gently on to the bench. “You see? Soft.”
She nodded. “Hard!” She slapped the bench with her own hand. “Ow!” Then she laid those chubby fingers on the bench. “Sof’. Do it?”
“Yes, just like that. Aren’t you the bright one! Hard and soft. Show me again.” At her look of confusion he repeated the words and the motion, nodding as her face lit up with comprehension.
“Hard, LoLo!” A smack. “Sof’.” Back down went the hand, patting the bench.
“That’s the way! Very good, Naoki.” He couldn’t help but grin back at her gleeful smile.
“Hard! Sof’!” Her hand followed.
“That’s right. Now, flame can be the same way.” He moved his hand away from her. “Hard!” He shot a jet of flame from his hand. “Now soft.” Just the barest little flicker. “Do you see?”
“Hard!” She shot forth flame and he threw up a hand to direct her arm away from him.
“Yes, you’ve got hard down, no problem. What about soft? Can you try soft?” He demonstrated.
She stuck her hand out, mimicking his and flame erupted. “Uh-oh.” Her face fell.
“Well, that’s okay, little one. It takes practice.”
“Budderfie! Budderfie, LoLo! Budderfie!” She squirmed down off the bench, laughing, running towards a red and yellow butterfly that was flitting its way towards the rhododendrons. He watched her dance along behind it, clapping her hands. “Budderfie!”
“You’re just like a butterfly yourself, aren’t you, little one?” He watched as she thrust her hand into the bushes, grasping for it, the remaining ribbon tearing itself free and left to dangle on an outstretched stem. “No fire though, okay? Not into the pretty flowers.”
“No fire, LoLo?” She stopped, turning to look at him.
“Not in the flower bushes, little Butterfly. If you want to play with fire you come over here and do it with LoLo, okay?” He gestured her over with two fingers.
“Do it! Fire!” She pulled her hand out and ran back to him, laughing, hands thrust out. “Hard? Do it?”
“Yes, but not towards me! That’s dangerous. Out in the air, Butterfly!” He pointed his hand to show her. “Send it there.”
She wheeled around and squinted, holding her hand out, letting it hover for a moment. The flame that came next was still wild but with considerably less volume. She let out with an elated scream. “LoLo! Do it! Sof’! Do it!”
“Well so you did! That’s my girl!” No doubt about it, he was looking at centuries of carefully cultivated firebender bloodlines, right there. Two year olds did not have that kind of control. Not normal ones, anyhow. He shook his head with a laugh. “You are something else, Butterfly.”
She leapt towards him, throwing herself into his lap as he quickly aimed her away from his knee. “Whoa, careful there, Butterfly. LoLo’s knee isn’t what it should be.” She wrapped her arms around his neck so tightly he had to shift her from crushing his throat. “Well, now. That was pretty exciting, wasn’t it?”
“Do it LoLo! Sof’!” Wriggling with joy, she landed a sloppy kiss directly under his eye.
“A kiss, is it?” He laughed, returning the kiss right atop her regal little nose. “Thank you, Butterfly. Nicest kiss I’ve had in I couldn’t tell you how long.” She squirmed out of his lap then, sitting next to him with a satisfied little grunt, her legs sticking straight out in front of her.
“Sof’, LoLo. Do it.” She leaned over to pat his hand. “Do it.”
He raised his hand, still smiling, and brought the tiny flame down to reflect in those beautiful golden eyes.
Chapter 17: An Assertion Of Parenthood: Wu Becomes A Father
Summary:
Archiving a prompt meme from Tumblr.
Wuko: Cuddling in a blanket fort.
Chapter Text
Mako nearly jumped out of his skin when the hand reached out from underneath what looked like an excellent example of a blanket fort and curled around his ankle.
“Shhhhh,” came Wu’s voice, very quietly. “You’ll wake her up.” Mako went to his knees and carefully and quietly moved aside one of the blankets. Wu was laying inside with one arm curled loosely around a sleeping Naoki, her limbs sprawled gracelessly across the rug. He smiled at Mako and motioned him in.
Mako eased in, trying to keep his head low. He settled himself down on the rug, shifting Naoki very slightly as he propped himself up on one hand, smiling across her to Wu.
“How was your day?” Wu whispered.
“Fine,” Mako whispered back. He very gently moved a stray whisp of hair from Naoki’s cheek before glancing around at the blankets enclosing them. “Whose idea was this?”
“Lozan’s. Or LoLo, I guess, that’s what she calls him, he seems to like it. He told me there wasn’t a child alive who didn’t like to build forts with blankets. He was right.” Wu looked at her. “I’ve never built one before. I hope it was satisfactory.”
“She’s only two. I’m sure she thought it was the best thing ever.”
“I hope so, Mako. I wish I knew what to do with her. I feel so stupid. At least she likes you.”
“She knows me a little bit. She doesn’t know you yet, but she will. Don’t worry about it so much, it’s only been a few days. It’s been a big change for her. Give her a little time to adjust.”
“That’s what LoLo says. I like him, Mako. I think we should keep him.”
“He’s not a stray, Wu. We can’t just keep him.”
Wu dismissed this with a very small hand gesture, glancing down at Naoki to make sure she was still sleeping. He continued to whisper. “He told me today he doesn’t have anywhere else to go, now that’s he’s been discharged from the Navy. He said he could go back to his parents, but he didn’t look very happy about it.” Wu was quiet for a moment. “I was thinking, if he wanted to stay, we could remodel the study and the music room next to the kitchen, give him his own little suite. I wouldn’t want to ask him to walk up and down the stairs to the third floor or the flat above the garage, not with his knee the way it is. I can just as easily move those rooms up to the third floor, we’re not even using it as of yet.”
“Thought this all out, have you?”
“He’s very efficient, for one thing, and for another, I do like him. He cooks like a dream.”
“He is a damn fine cook, I will give you that.”
“Well, we have to get somebody, I can’t be expected to do any of it.”
Mako grinned at him. “You could always learn to cook.”
“Oh, and you could always learn the proper protocol as to how you greet each and every noble family in what was formerly the Earth Kingdom, but I guess you aren’t going to do that either, hmm? Newsflash! You should be giving what is referred to as the Half Crane Bow to your boss every time she walks into the room.”
“If I bowed to her when she walked into the room she’d bend my ass into next week.”
Wu rolled his eyes. “Republic City peasantry, that’s what you lot are.”
Before Mako could answer, Naoki opened her eyes and looked at him, scowling for a moment before looking back at Wu, knuckling at her eyes. “Papa,” she said, and buried her face into Wu’s chest. Wu’s arm automatically went around her to pull her close and he looked at Mako, his eyes filling up with tears as he smiled, that sweet smile that Mako loved so much. Mako’s eyes filled up as well.
“Papa’s right here, darling,” Wu said, and kissed the top of her head.
Chapter 18: An Underwater Campaign: Toys In The Bath
Summary:
Archiving a prompt meme from Tumblr.
Wuko: Taking a bath together.
Chapter Text
Wu came into the bedroom, unbuttoning his jacket.
“The Fire Nation is on our tail! Dive! Dive!”
Wu silently slipped off his shoes and jacket, tiptoeing to peek around the door leading into the bathroom. In the mirror he could see Mako, sitting in the bath, bubbles up to his chin, with two of Naoki’s toy boats in his hands.
“Damn it! They’re too close!”
Wu pulled back away from the door, biting his lips to keep from laughing. Quickly he stripped his clothes off, not even hanging them up carefully as was his usual custom.
“They’re building up speed! Captain! We’ll never outrun them!”
Wu stepped into the bathroom. “Can’t you bend lightning at them?”
“AUGH!” Mako shouted, half leaping up, water and bubbles surging out of the tub to puddle on the floor. The boats disappeared. “What the fuck! You damn near stopped my heart!”
Wu had to grab at the counter to stop himself from falling over, he was laughing so hard.
“Damn it, Wu! I thought you were supposed to be out until late!”
Wu waved one hand in the air, still laughing. “Obviously.”
Mako cheeks had turned a fascinating color and he went to cross his arms across his chest, forgetting his hands were full of boats. This only made Wu laugh harder. “Wu!”
“I’m sorry! Oh, don’t be grouchy, Mako. Come, it was funny. I don’t care if you play with the boats. Look, I’ll come and play boats with you.” Wu eased himself into the tub. “You could heat up the water a little, please.”
Mako obliged. “What happened at your meeting?”
Wu shrugged. “Oh, two of the ladies got into quite the heated argument and one of them revealed that she knew the other had had a little tryst with her husband. Scandal for days, I assure you. Very entertaining, but it did mean an early end to the evening, alas.” He held out his hand. “A boat, if you please.”
“Don’t make fun.”
“I am most certainly not making fun. I have never played with a toy in the bath, I am quite looking forward to it. What kind of a boat is it?”
Mako handed him one of the toys. “It’s not a boat, it’s a submarine. They go under the water.” Mako demonstrated under the bubbles.
“Have you ever been on one?”
“What, a submarine? No.”
“We should ask Iroh for a ride in one.”
Mako got the irritated look on his face that he got whenever Iroh’s name was mentioned. “Hmph.”
“So is my boat the bad guys’ boat or the good guys’ boat?”
“Which do you want to be?”
“Oh, the bad guys, naturally!” Wu’s eyes lit up.
“Fine, you’re the Fire Nation.”
Wu clapped his hands together, nearly crushing his boat. “Excellent!” He made a noise like a car driving off as he pushed his toy through the tub.
“Wu, it’s a submarine, not a car.”
“Oh whatever, Mako. You had best move your boat there along with some alacrity, because when I catch your boat I shall bomb it right out of the water.”
“You can try,” Mako said, and sent his own boat plunging down.
Chapter 19: A Nourishing Regimen: Get You Back To You
Summary:
Sometimes the soul needs nourishment, too.
Notes:
This one is for my Betareader, the Wu to my Nuo, who loves the relationship between LoLo and Qi the most.
The title comes from the song "Reindeer King" by Tori Amos. Dedicated to Jac with my love during the endless Octobers.
Trigger warning for unintentional misgendering.
Chapter Text
He woke at the noise of the icebox being opened and rummaged through.
Not Mako, he was fairly sure; Mako often ate if he came home in the middle of the night but knew his way around the kitchen and was quiet. The baby was too small; the prince, he'd found - Wu, the prince wanted to be called Wu, those big eyes of his pleading as he asked instead of demanded and Lozan didn't have the heart to resist although his mother would have given him a taste of her temper for not using the man's title - was an insomniac but not one of the ones who ate to pass the time. He mostly wandered or was up on the third floor, in the office he'd had relocated.
It must be the girl Wu had brought home with him that afternoon, then. Feral thing, full of snarls and savage pride. He didn't like the drawn, starveling look of her face, however, and her color was sallow as well. Filthy, too. Most likely had lice and who knew what else. He'd grabbed one of the maids and told her to give the girl a tunic and an old pair of his trousers that he knew she'd swim in but they were at least clean. He'd tossed along one of his own belts and some underthings as well. She'd clearly scrubbed herself ruthlessly before she came in to dinner and he wasn't sure what she was hungrier for, the good food he'd put on the table or their little Butterfly, giggling happily in her ribbons and pretty dress.
Lin Beifong, Mako's boss, had swung by in the middle of the meal and he'd ignored her insistence that she'd already eaten to have one of the footmen set her a place at the table. He remembered her famous mother from her visits to Firelord Zuko when he was a boy, peeking with his siblings at the world's greatest earthbender as she swaggered about the palace like she owned it. Toph Beifong's daughter carried her look, although unlike her mother she was a tall woman and had a set of curves on her that he appreciated, not that he was going to leer at the woman across the table. Damn fine looking woman, though. Had a bit of a bite to her, too, he could see that from the get-go. She was not happy about the girl being there, that much was clear.
He'd had the footmen clear the table and Wu had taken the girl's arm and told her he was going to show her around the work they were doing in the garden, while Mako took the baby upstairs for a bath. Lin had followed him into the kitchen, her arms crossed, scowling, clearly itching to follow Wu outside.
"That damn fool."
He'd chuckled, pulling down some leaves and willow bark powder for tea, leaning on his cane. His knee had informed him very strongly that it had had about enough for the day. "Who, Wu?" At her snort of exasperation he'd grinned. "I don't suppose she can get up to too much harm overnight. She'll most likely be gone in the morning."
"With half the fucking silver." Lin had walked over to peer out one of the windows to the back. "Wu doesn't understand a thing about it."
"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure of that." He thought Wu knew pretty well how it felt to be robbed. Wu'd lost everything he owned when the Red Lotus had taken over Ba Sing Se, after all. Put through the wringer and no mistake. Jumpy, too, when Mako wasn't around to quiet him. Wu didn't do well at all when he was on his own, he'd noticed that right off the top; the poor boy would start jabbering away, a mile a minute, his fingers restless and his laughter nervous. He'd found himself brewing plenty of calming tea for him, a recipe his father had had from his father, who had gotten it directly from the old Firelord's uncle, Prince Iroh. A man who had loved his tea.
The woman had merely snorted again. "She's from the Flower District." At his quizzical look she'd grimaced. "Republic City's Red Light district. Can't mistake the accent." She'd sighed. "Fuck me. She told Wu she was sixteen but I'm calling bullshit all over that."
"That kind of life ages them." He'd used his bending to heat the water until it was just warm enough and poured it over the leaves. "Do you suppose she was working there?"
"Vaatu's spongy balls, I hope not." She'd sighed and then massaged her forehead. "I'm guessing she might have, though. Might be why she's trying to pass herself off as a boy. Not that they don't use boys down there. But. Even still."
"Well, even if she does take half the silver it's nothing Wu can't replace. Maybe she'll stick around a bit." She'd swung her gaze his way, a single eyebrow sailing up and his cock woke up at that one. Damn. He wondered what she'd look like out of her uniform.
"You in the habit of taking on charity cases?" Her mouth had pursed up like she'd bitten into a lemon. How long it would take him to kiss that look right off of her? His mind was quickly going where it shouldn't, so he'd grinned at her instead.
"I'm retired now. It's either that or take up gardening. And between you and me, I've got two black thumbs." He'd waggled them at her and got a little snort of laughter over that one.
"Shit, don't look at me. There was a reason the backyard looked the way it did when Wu moved in. None of us ever gave a damn about it." She'd run her fingers through the top of her hair, letting out with a sigh. "All right, I can't stay, I've got three night shift officers down with the fucking flu and the last thing I want to do is call Mako back in. He's better off here keeping an eye on her." She'd stood there for a moment, with an expression he couldn't quite read. "Thanks for the dinner."
He'd smiled. "Any time. And I mean that. Don't be a stranger, there's always plenty."
"Hmph." She'd flicked her hand at him, turned on her heel, and stomped out the side door without another goodbye and he'd grinned for the next hour or so. Damn fine woman. And he'd like to think - and maybe do a little more than thinking - about her in the comfort of his own bed but there was a little pigeon rat in his kitchen, so he swung himself up, feeling for his cane, not bothering with his slippers.
It was the girl, the icebox wide open, lit by nothing more than the moonlight coming through the windows. She was cramming food into her mouth, hunched over herself. At the sound of his cane striking the flagstones she whipped around, growling at him, producing what looked like a rough knife from a back pocket.
"It's fine if you want something, but you have to keep that icebox closed. It lets out the cold, otherwise, and then I'll have to call for another ice delivery." He made sure to keep his tone as bland and unthreatening as possible. He didn't have to keep himself from moving too fast. The knee saw to that.
"I ain't stealin'," she muttered, her voice a raspy, broken thing. "The mister said I got room and board." She was trembling wildly.
"That's right," he agreed. "You're welcome to whatever's in here. All I ask is that you keep the icebox closed and keep quiet so you don't wake everyone up." He gestured at the wall switch and paused, watching her, before flicking it on, the both of them squinting into the harshness of the electric light.
She didn't look good at all. Her skin had shifted from sallow to downright greenish and her eyes were glassy as she shook, one hand wrapped tightly around several cold dumplings and the other clutching the knife. "I can pay it back. The mister said he be payin' me."
"Room and board means exactly that, Qi," he said, and saw her flinch when he used her name. She'd given her real one, then. "There's no need to pay or ask for permission for the food. It's yours for the taking." He took another slow step into the kitchen and nodded at the icebox. "Do you think you could close that for me? Just to keep the cold in." Her trembling was quickly turning into swaying right before his eyes. "Qi? Do you want to sit down? Shit!" He made a sudden lurch across the kitchen, his knee howling a protest, as the girl's eyes rolled back in her head and she started to sag ungracefully to the ground, both the dumplings and knife tumbling out of her hands. He barely managed to catch her, pulling her into his arms, trying the best he could to cushion her head, at least, from hitting the stone floor. Tears poured down his face as his knee twisted under him, but he had her safe, and that was more important in the moment.
He did manage to kick the knife across the floor, however. His mother had raised no fools and he'd broken up too many drunken squabbles onboard to want a weapon anywhere nearby. Not that the girl was drunk. Sick, unless he missed his mark. She was shockingly light; nothing but bones, really, and he could feel the sharp, defined ladder of her ribcage under his old tunic. He'd seen she was thin but the baggy clothes had hidden the fact that she was clearly starving. No, this child hadn't been eating on the regular for years, he'd lay yuan, and who knew what she'd been able to scavenge out on the streets? Scurvy too, most likely, although as a ship's cook he knew how to manage that. He'd need to get her to a healer right away. He desperately hoped she hadn't already started losing her teeth.
No wonder she was sick, eating his dinner the way she had. Her stomach couldn't handle the rich food. He'd have to start her on bland jook, get some tonics from a good healer, work on the scurvy that way. Once she could handle regular food he could start to build her back up slowly. Spirits alive, but how much longer would she have made it out there?
She moaned in his arms and he shifted a bit, trying to take the pressure off that damnable knee of his. "It's alright, honey, everything's alright. You just had a little spill." Her eyelashes fluttered slowly as she groaned, her breathing ragged, her face slack. She was just a baby herself. Sixteen his firebending ass. "Just try to breathe, we'll get you some water."
She croaked, her eyes opening, her confusion turning to fear as she bared her teeth and shoved at him as she scrambled away. "You don't be touchin' me! I ain't no whore! I ain't no lady for sale!"
His heart twisted. "I know that, Qi. You fainted, passed out. I caught you, that's all." He held his hands up non-threateningly. "That's all."
"I gut you like a fish," she hissed, and she would have been frightening in her intensity if she hadn't gagged and promptly vomited all over his clean floor.
"Oh honey. No, don't cry, it's the food, it was too much for you." He wanted nothing more than to go to her, but judged it wasn't the time. She wouldn't take the comfort; hell, she was probably afraid of it. He wasn't a violent man by nature but he'd like to gut whomever had put that fear into her eyes himself.
"I ain't for sale." She was coughing and weeping, shuddering as she tried to weakly drag herself away from him.
"Qi." He let some of his mother's firmness creep into his tone. "That's enough of that. Nobody in this house thinks you're for sale, and no one here will take advantage of you that way." He kept her gaze and for once in his life, didn't turn it into a joke. "I don't fuck children. Never have and never will. You are safe with me. I swear on my ancestors, on the grave of my little brother." He held up his hand to swear with. "On his grave I swear it."
She didn't trust him yet - oh, it would take time and hard work to get that from her, he could see that already - but she nodded warily before looking around. "Where be my knife?"
He pointed across the kitchen. "Somewhere over there." He grinned at her then. "Didn't care for a knife in the gut this fine morning, if it's all the same to you, my girl."
"Ain't a girl," she muttered automatically as she half crawled, half crouched across the floor, looking for the knife.
"Ah. My mistake then. My boy?"
"Ain't no boy neither." She turned to shoot him a glare at that one.
"Well, those are the two I'm most familiar with. What should I use for you then?"
She spied the knife halfway behind a barrel of rice and reached for it, shrugging. "Dunno."
He guessed she didn't at that. "I tell you what, then. How about we just use they as a placeholder until you can come up with something better. What do you say to that?"
They scowled at him. "You makin' fun of me?"
He shook his head. Spirits but his knee hurt. The smell of their vomit wasn't helping either. "No." He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. "Do you think you can get to your feet?" They stared at him and he pointed. "My knee needs some ice, and I have some willowbark powder I use for the pain. I don't think I can manage to stand at the moment, though."
They froze for a second and then stood, more than a little shaky, shoving the retrieved knife into a pocket. "Dunno where to find them things."
He guided them through fetching what he needed to make his tea, holding back a laugh as their mouth opened in surprise as he bent the tea water hot, followed immediately by a scowl that nearly scorched the eyebrows off his face, pointing out where the teacups were kept, brewing enough tea to give them some before dissolving the willow bark powder into his own. They took their knife and viciously hacked out some ice as well before finally shutting the icebox door and he kept quiet on that one. He'd just call for a new delivery in the morning, no need to scold the child who was only trying to be helpful, after all. He wrapped the ice in a clean kitchen towel and gingerly packed it around his knee, smiling to himself as they took more towels and, without saying a word, cleaned up their mess.
Such a proud little kitten, bedraggled as they were. He clumsily hauled himself over to the table and pulled himself up into a seat, breathing through the pain and nodding his thanks when the child quickly moved another chair to prop his bad knee on, readjusting the ice. "Now you take some of this tea and sit yourself for a bit."
They did, although they didn't relax into the chair. "It hurts real bad?"
"It does indeed. In fact, I think I'll need to call a healer in the morning for it. I injured it onboard my old naval ship, that's why I'm retired from active service now." And damn if that didn't still hurt just as much as the knee.
"Sorry," they muttered into their tea.
"And so am I, at that. It is what it is. But let's talk about you."
Their head jerked up at that. "Got nothin' to say."
"I think I ought to have that healer take a look at you as well."
"No." Ah, there went the furious kitten again. Not that he didn't think this one wouldn't use their claws. He might have grown up in and around the Fire Nation Palace but he'd been around the world and he knew the desperation and brutality that poverty brought. This kitten was a child in name only. Spirits.
"Hmmm. Well, you'll do as you please. But here's hoping you won't pass out while you're driving Wu about." Oh, that got him a panicked look, alright. He was a right old prick for manipulating them this way. Although it was a real concern, all things considered.
"I ain't..." they swallowed. "I ain't gonna."
He leaned forward just a bit. Enough to make his point, not enough to spook them. "Qi, you're suffering from malnourishment. Let me make a guess. Do you ache everywhere? Your arms and legs especially? Are you tired all the time? Do you frequently faint, or feel like you are going to faint? Are your gums bleeding and do your teeth feel loose?" They stared at him, eyes wide. "Do you know what scurvy is? No? Well, it's something that happens to sailors, they don't get enough citrus and the like when they are out at sea for a long time. Part of my job as the head cook was to make sure all of the sailors I was in charge of feeding had the right kind of food to keep them healthy. And sugarbun, you aren't healthy. I'm not a healer, but I know what I know." He gestured towards the stove. "When people have been as hungry as I'm pretty sure you have been for as long as you have, food can act like a poison to them. That's why you lost what was in your stomach a few minutes back." He smiled, gently. "I'm guessing you lost your dinner, as well?"
Tears started to slip down their cheeks as they nodded.
"Honey, don't cry. It's not your fault. But your old LoLo here -" he thought the baby's name for him might reassure them, or at least he hoped so, anyhow "- is going to help you get well, well enough that you can drive Wu wherever he needs to go."
"And keep him safe," they said, that whispering croak of theirs breaking his damn heart.
"Yes, and keep him safe."
"And keep the little baby safe." They stared at him, shaking again.
"Yes," he replied softly. "And keep Naoki safe as well." He carefully and slowly reached across the table to rest his hand near theirs. "I'm sure you can do that. But you have to be healthy first. Do you understand?"
"Don't want no healer touchin' on me," they bared their teeth and another tear splashed down. "Don't want nobody touchin' on me."
"I understand. But listen. Tomorrow Mako has work and Wu has a meeting. He thinks you'll drive him, but you can tell him the car isn't working." He smiled. "He won't know the difference, trust me. We'll call him a taxi and then call the healer here. But I'll be here as well and so will Naoki, Wu leaves her with me when he isn't home." He thought for a moment. "Would it be better if you had a woman present? Besides the healer?"
The child shrugged at that, staring down at their cup. "Don't make no difference." They were wavering, he could see. "If that healer comes, you won't let me alone? You won't go?"
Oh spirits, he had to get ahold of himself before he started to weep. Who had done this to this baby? Who had hurt them, who had abandoned them to try and survive on their own? "I give you my word, Qi. Naoki and I will be right there. The only way I will leave is if you ask me to go. I give you my word."
"Will it hurt?" they asked, so vulnerable and he wanted nothing more than to pull them into his arms. Not yet. Not until they were ready. But he ached for them like he hadn't ached for anyone since his smallest, most beloved brother had lain in his arms, the life slowly leaching out of him. He wouldn't let this one go, not for love nor money.
"No, sugarbun. The healer will need to examine you and I don't think you'll like it, but it won't hurt. And I will be right there. I promise. And then we'll get you good and healthy and strong."
"Okay," they whispered. "So long as you don't be leavin' me alone."
"Alright then. But Qi, I need you to listen to me." He waited until they looked up at him. "For right now, all you can eat is plain jook. I'll make sure I keep a big pot of it on the stove and you can take some whenever you get hungry. But we have to take this slowly or else you'll just keep vomiting it up. The healer will help us with it, and we'll follow their prescription. You might need to see them more than once until we get you to where you need to be, but I will be with you every single time. I promise." He was also pretty sure they'd have to attack that scruffy head with a nit comb and a particularly vile-smelling oil that he'd used many a time onboard with lousy sailors but he wasn't about to bring it up in the moment. That little piece of news could wait for the morning.
"I don't want to tell the mister. I don't want him knowin'." They scowled. "Nor the big man, neither. He don't want me here as it be."
Mako certainly didn't want the child there, but he'd leave that to Wu. Wu had the man's number, that was for sure. He'd only been working for Wu for a couple of months but he'd understood from the start that the man was the King of his own little Kingdom here; Mako would give in, by the end, or else he'd eat his cane. "We'll figure it out. Let me think on it, okay? I won't say anything, though." He smiled. "Your secret is safe with me."
You could have knocked him over with a feather when the child gave him a ghost of a smile in return. "I be keepin' your secret too, then."
"Oh? And what secret is that, then?"
"That your knee be so bad you can't hardly be standin' none." Qi jutted their chin out. "Reckon I can help some. Don't know nothin' about cookin' but I ain't dumb. I can learn."
He chuckled. Full of surprises, this one. "Then we have an accord?" He raised his hand and held it out. Qi narrowed their eyes and then spit in their own palm before holding it out. That's how it was, then? He spat in his own palm and grasped at their hand and they nodded their satisfaction.
"Now we be keepin' each others' secrets."
If that's how the kitten needed it, then that's how he'd do it. Nothing for nothing, then. As long as it got them into a healer, he'd take it. "You should scoot on back to bed. I'll have jook for you in the morning."
Qi scoffed. "You be an old man, with a busted knee. Reckon you need my help to get you back to yer own bed."
He laughed at that. "An old man, is it? Well then, help this decrepit, ancient being up, not that you could hold up a sparrowkeet at the moment."
"I be stronger than that!" Another ghost of a smile.
"Whatever you say, my dear. Whatever you say." He held his hand out and let the child pull, as he heaved himself to his feet. Not strong yet, but he'd get them there. He used their shoulder, just a bit, letting them put their arm around him, helping him back to his room as he leaned heavily on his cane, ignoring their labored breath for the sake of their prickly pride. Some good food and some tonics would get them right and then they'd see, wouldn't they. Little scrap of a thing. He'd get a real smile out of them yet.
Chapter 20: An Incisive Endowment: A Set of Knives
Summary:
Qi gets their first set of knives.
Notes:
I gave Qi my Betareader's birthday, the 22nd of October. This is a little birthday gift for both of them.
Chapter Text
"What are you up to?"
Qi glanced up and over from the hood where they were applying some wax with a rag. She was standing there in the garage, the chief of police. Arms crossed, sour mouth on her. They weren't sure how old she was - old enough to have gray hair, but not old enough to be retired, clearly - but she was in fighting trim. Earthbender. Metalbender too, and a good one from what the boss had said earlier. They reckoned she must be pretty good, being as her mama was Toph Beifong.
Even in the Flower District folks knew who Toph Beifong was.
"I ain't doin' nothing," they muttered, frowning. Bad enough the boss's man, that fucking cop, looked at them like he was just waiting for them to make a single wrong move so he could toss them out on their ass. Last thing they needed was the chief breathing down their neck as well.
The man from the kitchen, he was okay. They'd been afraid, at first, that his interest had been the wrong sort. But it wasn't that, or at least they were pretty sure it wasn't. First morning there the man had made them sit still for the healer he'd called up and made them take the tonics the healer had left as well. Said that if they didn't want their teeth to fall out of their head from lack of eating for too long they'd drink it and eat what he put on their plate.
They did as they were told. Didn't want a mouth full of holes, did they? They'd already lost one tooth, back in their mouth where it hardly showed much. Some of the other ones were loose, but the healer had seen to that, too.
Besides, the man staggered along on that bad leg. Worse came to worst, they could take off running and he'd never catch them.
"Quit doing nothing, then, and come with me." The chief gestured at them impatiently. "I don't bite."
"So you say," they muttered, and she shot them a side eye that would have made a grown man fall to his knees and cry. They weren't no grown man, though, so they kept their peace. "I'm comin'."
The chief took up a bag from outside the garage before walking them down the driveway, across the street to the park there. Real pretty, that park. Had a pond and lots of trees and neat little paths, all green grass and flowers. Rich people's park. There were houses along the streets on either side, but they weren't all up next to each other, tooth and jaw, not like where they had come from. These houses had land around them, with grand driveways and things like the boss's marble badgermoles by the big entrance doors or the working fountain in the front of the house of the cranky old wolfbat who lived next door. They were guessing most of them had huge gardens in the back, like the boss's house did. There were gardeners there every day, working on it. The boss had shown them drawings of what it was supposed to look like when it was all done, and they reckoned it would put this little park that took up the middle of the two streets to utter damn shame.
The little girl, the baby princess, she liked to be outside at the park. The boss kept her close but they kept a eye on her too. Not that the neighbors would do her no harm, not over here in the north side of town. But Triads, they'd snatch that baby princess and make the boss pay good money to get her back. The idea of her happy little laugh and those sparkly yellow eyes getting all scared made them want to stab every last one of them Triad fuckers right in their black hearts. They wouldn't be letting nobody touch that baby princess. Not while they were watching her.
"Take a seat," the chief said, pointing at a bench to the side of the pond, and they did, giving her a wary look. What did she want with them? Had they done something wrong? But the chief sat down next to them, quiet for few long moments, saying nothing, before she reached into the bag and handed over a wooden box with some sort of symbol carved on the top. Looked to be some kind of a flying picken or something. It had a lock, but the chief handed over a key. "I'll ask you to keep it locked and put away, Naoki's got curious fingers and she doesn't need to be into that. Go on. Open it."
They wouldn't need a key, not for this lock, but they put the key in anyhow and it clicked open immediately. Oiled then. Not a shock, the wood of the box was polished until it shone. Somebody was taking care of it. Inside was lined with green, maybe silk, or something that felt like silk under their fingertips. There were dark leather straps and there, tucked into the straps and gleaming like wicked death, were a set of six knives.
Four of them were slender, all of one piece - no handle, not really - and they knew those were throwing knives. The other two were a matched pair of karambits, their vicious crescent moon curves capped with bone handles, with grooves for their fingers to slot into and a loop on top to keep their grip steady. These weren't for show. These were for using. They were for real. They couldn't help their sharp intake of breath.
"The blades are as pure as they can be. Not a trace of earth in them. There's not a metalbender alive who can bend those. I even sent them to my sister first to be sure." The chief gestured towards the box with her chin. "Go on, take them out, I can see you're dying to do it. Mind yourself, they've been sharpened, although you'll need to continue to sharpen them yourself, I won't be able to use my bending for it." The chief pointed at a latch set into the recess of the box. "You've got what you need to take care of them in there as well."
They opened the latch to see a curved whetstone and a glass vial of what they thought was oil. "Don't know how to use this. Yumi use these?" They'd started at Yumi's dojo the week prior. She was the boss's old bodyguard and a former Kyoshi warrior, a tall woman who had spoken to them fairly, looking them in the eye when she did. She'd promised to teach them self-defense and how to use war fans, and they were ready to learn. Yumi used katanas, but they'd never seen any knives at the dojo.
"No. Knives are not a Kyoshi thing." The chief turned her head to peer out over the pond before reaching into the bag again and pulling out a pair of carved wooden karambits, putting them on the bench next to them. "You'll use these to start with."
They nodded. They were using regular old fans at Yumi's dojo and the baby princess had a tiny wooden katana for practice. "I be teaching myself?"
The chief shook her head. "No. I've got someone who'll teach you. But I need you to keep it quiet."
"I can keep my mouth shut." They ran their fingers down the wooden blades. Not sharpened, or at least not yet. They reckoned they'd get sharper later.
"I'm sure you can. But I don't want anybody to know outside of the two of us, and that especially means Mako." The chief looked a little sour at that. "If he makes a fuss, then the whole fucking house'll go sideways and I'll never hear the end of it. No, loop your finger like this." The chief took one of the wooden blades back and demonstrated. "Yes. That's better. There's an old man in my prison. Assassin for pay, worked for years in the city. Couldn't even begin to guess at his body count, but it's up there, I know. Karambits were his calling card. He eluded my mother for years, and that's saying something. He got old, though, and a little sloppy and I finally got him." She flicked a look their way. "He's not as quick as he was, but he's still got it. I made him a deal. He shows you everything he knows and in return I'll upgrade him to a single cell with an actual window he can look out of, and he'll get food from Kwong's on the days he works with you." She snorted. "The man was known as connoisseur of fine cuisine in his prime. I'm guessing prison food doesn't live up to his gentlemanly standards." The chief handed back the practice karambit. "You'll work with unsharpened wooden blades only and I'll be there for every second. I trust him to teach you, but that's as far as it goes. He's not a bender, so no worries there. Even still. The man is dangerous. Keep it in mind."
They nodded. They could respect that.
"Yumi says you're quick to learn, which is a good thing. Yumi's a born teacher, however. I'm not so sure about this old man. If you start to feel uncomfortable around him then you let me know. I mean that, Qi. You've kept yourself alive all these years, you must have a good gut sense on you."
They nodded again. It was true. They did have a good feeling for most things. They knew when to run, or when to fight. "I reckon I do."
"Then use it. He might be fast, but I'm faster." The chief patted at the pack that had her wire cable inside. They'd never seen her without it, not even once. "And, if I haven't missed my mark, you'll get faster too."
They couldn't stop themself from grinning at her. The chief scoffed her surprise and raised a single eyebrow, allowing herself a little grin in return. "I already be fast. Can't do nothin' but get better."
"There you have it," the chief said. "I'll come by for you tomorrow around eleven. I already checked in with Wu, he won't need you then. He thinks you're going to Yumi's, and he can just keep on thinking that."
"Got it," they said.
"Good," the chief said, and then they both sat there for a moment, the chief staring out over the pond and them with the wooden practice knives in their hands, feeling how their fingers curved around the handles. They wouldn't take up the real ones yet, not even to try them. That was for later. When they deserved them. "You like ice cream?"
They blinked. "Dunno. Never had it."
Another eyebrow raise at that. "You've never had ice cream." It wasn't a question.
"Ain't a lot of ice cream where I come from."
The chief nodded slowly. "I suppose there isn't at that. Well. Can't try it any younger, then."
"Our man LoLo says I ain't meant to eat nothin' he ain't givin' me. Healer said too."
"What LoLo and the healer don't know won't hurt them. Besides, ice cream cures whatever ails you." Chief gave a funny, tight little smile at that. "Or at least that's what my mother always used to say." She stood and motioned them up. "Tuck those practice knives someplace on your person where no one will see them, and keep them on you. I'll leave it to you to find somewhere to hide the box. Come on, I'll take you downtown for some ice cream." She started walking back to the house, and they gave a little half-skipping run to catch up with her after putting the box back in the bag. The chief could move herself right smart when the occasion called for it. "You'll drive. Do not crash my car, you hear me?"
"Yes, ma'am," they said, and slid the wooden karambits into their trouser pockets. "You gone stick me with a knife if I do?"
"I'll bend your ass into next week if you keep sassing me," the chief said, making that sour lemon face again, but they weren't fooled. They weren't fooled one single bit.
Chapter 21: A Mortal Profession: Qi Meets Their New Master
Summary:
I wrote the previous ficlet for my Beta Fish, and she told me that she wanted to meet the old man. I never refuse her. So here he is.
Warning: This is a dark chapter. See content warnings at the end if you need them.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The old man sitting on the neatly made cot wasn't at all what they had expected.
Not that they were sure what they had expected, mind. They'd grown up in a bad place, a place where crime came as naturally as breathing, where Triads fought each other over a few blocks of territory. But assassins? They'd never known any assassins.
They'd thought he'd be like one of the Triad bosses, all flash suits and jewelry, fast cars and swagger, menace in every movement. Granted, the old man was wearing a prison uniform. But even at that.
He was of middling height, balding, what hair he had left gray with age and trimmed close to his head. His eyes were brown, his skin was brown, and none of his features were memorable. They imagined that if they walked past him on the street, in regular clothes, that they wouldn't notice him at all.
"In my line of work, it is often wise to be unmemorable." The man's voice was average as well; not too high or too deep, with a sort of middling accent. He was watching them closely. "You've a quiet way of moving about you already, which is good. That look on your face, however. That blank stare. People will take note of it."
"Ichiro, Qi. Qi, this is Ichiro." The chief had come into the cell and stood with her back against the bars, arms crossed. "You play nice, Ichiro, and I'll see to it this cell remains yours. One wrong move and you're back on the block."
"I understood the conditions, Chief Beifong. I am to teach this..." the old man paused, and nodded politely. "I am afraid I can't determine your gender, my apologies."
They shrugged and the old man nodded again.
"I am to teach this person how to use karambits. And how to be unseen when necessary. In return, I will have this cell until I die and on the days when I teach I am to receive a meal from Kwong's. Which I will be allowed to eat in private."
The chief raised an eyebrow.
"I am not to physically harm my student, nor am I to ask my student any intrusive questions. I will not be allowed a weapon, and if I take the student's weapon at any time without your permission the deal is off. You will be here at all times. I am not to speak of this to anyone else at any time." The old man tilted his head. "These are the conditions, yes? I agree to all of them."
The chief grunted at this. "Get started, then."
The old man looked at her and the corner of his mouth twitched very slightly. He gestured at a chair that was next to a table, set against the wall. They didn't think that most regular cells had them. "Please take a seat, Qi." The chief stirred at that but the old man sent her a mild look. "I would not presume to tell you how to teach a metalbending student, Chief Beifong. Therefore, I would ask that you allow me to teach my student in my own way. I will follow your conditions, I assure you."
The chief didn't look too happy at that, but she jerked her head at them and they took the seat.
The old man paused for a moment, seemingly to gather his thoughts, before speaking. "There are many reasons as to why a man would become an assassin." A slight smile. "Forgive me, I should say person. I know of women in my profession as well. To clarify, I don't include those who do it as a matter of self-defense, or as an act of passion. While those people might be killers, it is not a profession for them." He paused for another moment. "Nor do I include those who kill as a means of satisfaction. Those who kill because it excites them, sexually or otherwise. They are not assassins. It is not a profession for them. Do you understand what I mean?"
They nodded, eyes on him. He inclined his head. "Just so. I am talking about those of us who make it our profession. Some assassins do their work for a cause that is personal to them. They are the ones who see killing as a means to an end. Others, like myself, see it strictly as a pecuniary transaction. I killed for money. There was no other reason for it. While I did take pride in my work, I did not have any personal feelings for my targets. I did not question who they were or whether or not they deserved to die. That was not my business. My business was to do my job cleanly and without any difficulties for my clients.
"It is true that I did have certain professional boundaries. I did not kill children, for example. Not out of sentimentality, but because killing children inevitably leads to the kind of outcry that risks exposure. I did not find that risk to be acceptable." A slight shrug. "Others in my profession did not have those same boundaries. There were three separate instances in all my years of work where I refused a target and again, it was because I found the risks to be unacceptable. In all three of those cases, other assassins did the jobs instead. Two of them were caught. The other remained at large until they died of natural causes." Another minute twitch of his lips, sent the chief's way. "That we should all be so lucky."
The chief scoffed but was otherwise silent.
"Because of who I am, of how I look, I chose to pass in plain sight. I was simply unmemorable. I was the man walking past on the street, the janitor cleaning the building at night, the orderly at the hospital. Nobody of note. Nothing to see. My targets were exhaustively researched, my plans meticulously laid, and I always had backup plans in place. You can control your own actions, but you can never fully predict or control the actions of others. An assassin who forgets that for even a second is an assassin who gets caught. Or killed themselves."
Another snort from the chief. The old man ignored her.
"To be an assassin requires intelligence, patience and adaptability. It also requires confidence and skill. Without those things, there is simply no point. You have killed before, yes?" The old man's voice didn't change when he said it, but he held their eyes.
"I said no intrusive questions!" The chief shifted forward, but the old man ignored her to continue staring at them.
"Not a single flinch, nor a tell on your face. That's very good, for one so young. You have the self-possession for it." The old man leaned back. "Not every assassin operates as I did, of course. One of them, a colleague I have the utmost respect for professionally, is very well known in this city. Quite famous, in fact. That is their cover. They are still hiding their identity, but in a totally different manner than I did."
The chief opened her mouth but the old man smoothly interrupted her, glancing her way for a moment. "I am not an informant, Chief Beifong, and that was not part of our agreement." He turned back to them. "I suspect, in just these few moments together, that you would need to be this kind of assassin. The kind that hides behind extraordinariness. You are not unmemorable, young Qi. I don't believe that you ever will be." A shrug. "It's of no matter. I can still teach you what I know. Now tell me, why the karambits?" He held up a finger. "I ask, not to be intrusive, but to understand why this weapon and not another. Assassins use different weapons for different reasons. A weapon is a deeply personal thing."
They tilted their head towards the chief. "She gave 'em to me."
The old man nodded. "Yes, I see. Loyalty, is it? Not money." They didn't nod in return, but the old man didn't seem to need their confirmation. "Family loyalty, I would guess. Time-honored reason. Not my path, of course, but a reputable and valued subset of the profession. But tell me, Qi. Why the karambits? Is getting them from the chief the only reason? Because any thug can kill, whether it be with their bare hands or an expensive katana. An assassin's weapon is a part of them, however. An extension of them. We are connected to our weapons, more than to a mother or a lover, even."
They thought on it for a time, silent. The old man was silent as well; watching them, but waiting patiently for their answer. It was only the chief that moved a bit restlessly. The two of them ignored her. "They be me. They be me where I come from. Be me as a kid, in the bad part of town, be me who only knows how to live best I can. I ain't pretty. I ain't honorable. I ain't no katana. But I ain't no bareknuckle bruiser, neither. I never did fight because I liked it. I fought because I had to. I didn't want to die. I did what needed doin'."
The old man said nothing, but his gaze never left them. He almost looked hungry, the way he was watching them.
"Karambits, they be what you need them to be. They be killers, yeah? They tear and they rip, ain't no nice way to die. But same time, one clean slice and that's the end. They can be honorable in their own way. In the way that people like me, street rats, know we can be." They held up their hands. "You hold them knives in your hands, and they be your hands too. Some folks mebbe say that people like me and you, people that use a karambit, we're nothin' more than animals with a claw." Suddenly they smiled, a thin slash across their face, mouth closed tightly. "But I say, we're all animals, comes down to it. It's just I ain't pretending I'm nothin' else. And I reckon you ain't either."
The old man smiled in return. "No. I have never pretended to be anything else."
They reached into their back pocket and pulled out their old knife; battered and nicked, the handle cracked and repaired with old strips of leather they'd scavenged. It was a piece of shit, that karambit, but it had kept them alive, hadn't it?
"Qi! What did I fucking say! No fucking weapons in here!" The chief lunged forward, already spinning cable out of her pack, but the old man held up a hand.
"Did you kill for that?"
They shook their head. "Didn't need to. Won it off a man throwin' dice. Didn't see no need to kill when I could get it elsewise. Ain't no point to it."
The old man reached forward and took up the karambit, examining it, ignoring the chief's furious curses. "Crude, of course, but to be expected, off the street. I am assuming the ones the chief gave you are better."
"Real good. Made pure so no metalbender can fuck with 'em."
"Ah. Very astute. I would expect no less from Chief Beifong. Although I would have expected her to check her protégé for metal weapons before she brought them in." The old man tsked at the chief as if she were a student who hadn't done her lessons and then put the karambit back on the table. "Qi, I will teach you. I will teach you how to use the karambit, as agreed upon with Chief Beifong here. However, I will also teach you all I know about the art of assassination. I do not do this because I am fond of you, or because I feel obligated. I am old, and I appreciate the warmer bed and comforts of this cell and the better food. That is my payment for the weapons instruction. I would have taken that as my due, regardless of whom the chief had brought me. But you, young Qi? You, I will teach my art. You have the aptitude for it."
"Don't know what that means."
"It means that you are suited for the profession. It doesn't matter if you settle into a different branch than mine, or if you never take up the profession at all. What I will teach you will serve you regardless. You have already learned the first lesson of assassination on your own. Can you guess what that is?"
They thought they knew. "Don't kill unless you have to."
The old man nodded slowly. "Yes. Do not kill unless you must. Very good, Qi. Very good." The old man stood, and gestured them up as well. "I will teach you. While I am the master, and you are the student, you will be safe with me. I will not harm you nor help anyone else to harm you. I give you my word." The old man spat into his palm, and held it out.
Qi spat into their own palm, and grasped the old man's. "I won't harm you neither." They rocked back as the old man, faster than lightning, cuffed them upside the head.
"Do not sass your master, child. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yessir." They rubbed at the side of their head. "Clear as glass."
"You treacherous son of a bitch!" the chief barked, and they both could hear the fury in her voice as they continued to stare at each other. "That constitutes as harm. Fuck your word. We're done here. Qi! Let's go."
"Are you harmed, Qi?" The old man raised his eyebrows.
"Nosir." They weren't. "Fuck up, get a wallop. Won't kill me none."
"Then, if the chief would kindly remove herself to the corner of the cell and keep quiet, I will teach you what I know."
Notes:
Warning for murder.
Chapter 22: A Minacious Discourse: Wu Meets With The Triad Bosses
Notes:
For all of you over the years who have asked me why the Triads leave Wu's family alone! I've had this in mind forever but just never got around to writing it down. Better late than never, eh?
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It hadn't been easy, making the arrangements to get himself to what the Triads referred to as Neutral Ground. The problem wasn't Mako; all he had to do was tell his new husband that he was going to the spa and Mako immediately made himself scarce. Lin might be troublesome, but only if she thought Qi wasn't with him. That, of course, had been the tricky part: Qi. They had only been living with them for six months but had already become his silent shadow, following him everywhere. Well, mostly everywhere. They wouldn't set foot in the spa itself, merely lurking in the well-appointed lobby when he was there, scaring off both potential customers as well as the staff themselves. He'd left them there, eyeing the tea and sandwiches that were sitting on the tea table, informing them that he'd be a few hours. Per prior arrangement he then was met by one of his Dai Li undercover agents at the back door, the staff being well-paid to pretend that he was making use of their facilities. If all went well he'd have enough time to get in a quick facial and a trim before he made his way back to Qi, none the wiser.
Neutral Ground was located in the back room of a Pai Sho parlor located a few blocks from the Central Train Station. He was relatively certain his husband did not know this as said Neutral Ground was apparently moved every month or so to keep ahead of Republic City's police force. According to his sources all of the various Triads respected it and only once in all of their years ruling Republic City's underground had Neutral Ground been breached. The Triad Boss in question had been killed and his entire organization demolished from the ground up. Even currently warring factions respected it. He didn't think he would be safe; he wasn't that much of a fool. He did, however, think that he wouldn't be killed just for walking in there.
He hoped not, at least. Mako would be very, very angry with him if he got himself killed.
As they pulled up to the address he gave himself a quick once-over. He'd dressed to look rich that morning. Not that he wasn't always well-dressed, of course. He'd allowed himself a little extra flash, however, putting on a suit with buttons made of platinum and sliding an extravagantly overdone stickpin with an emerald the size of an egg into his cravat. Appearances were everything, as he well knew. He patted his breast pocket, reassuring himself once again that he'd remembered the envelopes he needed. Taking a deep breath, he nodded at the Dai Li agent and sauntered into the parlor with his jeweled walking stick, ignoring the looks he was getting. He'd been told he needed to approach a middle-aged woman who would be wearing a pair of ornate snake bracelets and give her the password. Spotting her, he made his way over, bestowing her with one of his best royal smiles, ignoring her hostile skepticism, merely waiting for her to decide that he and his escort were actually meant to be there.
It took everything in him to keep himself blandly amused as she glared at the both of them suspiciously before shrugging and motioning them after her. Her laconic "Your funeral" didn't help his nerves any but he reminded himself that he was a king. Kings did not fall prey to such petty things as nerves. They walked down a set of stairs and down an even longer hallway before she knocked on a door, muttering through a grill that slid open in the door's center, something that ordinarily would have thrilled him. Seemingly satisfied, she walked back past them without another word as the door opened. He took in a breath and then strolled in, giving his stick a bit of a twirl.
The year before his great-aunt had been assassinated he had, under the guidance of one his many tutors, read his however many great-grandmother's opus about the art of war. Hou-Ting VII had been crowned Queen at eighteen after her mother before her had been killed fighting to expand and defend what the first King of the Hou-Ting Dynasty had called the Earth Kingdom. Hou-Ting VII had been known as one of the greatest military leaders in history and her writings were considered necessary reading for all of her many descendants. At first he'd dreaded them; at fourteen he'd had no interest at all in the military and couldn't imagine that the book would be anything other than a dreadfully long exercise in forced study, something that he was sure his Great-Aunt hadn't bothered with despite her insistence that he memorize the entire thing. The more he had read, however, the more he had understood that he would learn a great deal from the ideas and strategies within even if he never went to war. One particular directive more than any of the others had settled itself into his consciousness, however.
Appear weak when you are strong and strong when you are weak.
Now, standing in a room with some of the most dangerous men and women in the world, was the time for him to appear be strong, no matter how terrified he might be. So he fixed the same bland smile upon his face and with another flourish of his walking stick, sat himself down at the table there, taking up one of the seats clearly meant for the Triad leaders, the Dai Li settling into place behind him. It hadn't been easy, making sure that they would all show up here at the same time. It wasn't as if one would simply call and issue an invite to tea, after all. Not that he had done the inviting, of course. He paid people to do that sort of thing for him.
"The fuck?" That charming fellow, if he was not mistaken, was Smoky Saburo, the head of the Agni Kai Triad. Rumor had it that he had set his own mother ablaze for angering him. He had no idea if it was true or not. His own ancestors had done worse, so who was he to say? The noise level in the room rose as most of the bosses and their seconds demanded an explanation (one of them, a wizened old woman with a rather fearsome set of false teeth, demanded to know who he was, which was fine as he had no idea who she was, either) but it was Viper, staring coldly at him across the table, that made the sweat trickle down his back. Viper knew who he was. He had no doubt at all that the man would be happy to tear him apart if only to revenge himself on Mako.
"I'd like to thank all of you for coming to my little gathering, as it were." He waved a hand about the table. "Please do take a seat. I realize that time is money, so I will make this as brief as possible." He turned his head. "Ah, I beg your pardon, might you assist me? Yes, you, with the red and green trousers guarding the door?" The man, whose nose looked like it had gone through a meat grinder, blinked at him in vacant astonishment. "We seem to be short a chair. Could you possibly fetch another? Thank you." Turning back towards the table he inclined his head slightly. "To answer your specific question, madam, I am Prince Wu Hou-Ting, former King of the Earth Kingdom. To answer the general question of why I am here - ah yes, thank you for the chair, my dear fellow, you can just put it down over there - I will get to that presently."
"I say we fuck him up before we kill him," grated out Smoky Saburo, in true Firebender fashion.
"This is Neutral Ground," Viper replied, never taking his eyes off of Wu.
"Since when does that matter for the likes of him?"
"Neutral Ground," Viper repeated firmly before sitting down in his chair. "Besides. I want to know how he knew to come here."
"That's what I'd like to know as well," said the beautiful leader of the Creeping Crystal Triad, Jargala Omo. She sat as well, resting her chin on her clasped fingers.
He didn't reply to this, just waited patiently for the rest to either seat themselves or stand behind their bosses as second-in-commands. The old woman was the second for the Terra Triad, apparently. Fascinating. Once they were all there he smiled again. "Now, as I said before, I understand you are very busy people, so I shan't keep you long. The reason I asked all of you to meet me here is because I have been made aware that two of your triads have made plans to kidnap my daughter for ransom." He let the smile slide off of his face. "This is, of course, unsupportable. In short, ladies and gentlemen, it simply won't do."
"Like to see how you'd stop us," sneered Smoky Saburo. The Agni Kai, in fact, was one of the Triads in question. "What are you going to do about it?"
"Well, that does come straight to the point, does it not? Excellent. I shall come to the point as well." He reached into his breast pocket, raising his eyebrows as the Red Monsoon second raised his hands in what was clearly a bending move. He stared at the man until the Red Monsoon leader waved him down in irritation. That being taken care of, he removed five envelopes, each with the name of a triad leader written on it. "If you would be so kind?" He handed the stack to the guard, who looked at them, blinked again and then, without a word, passed them around. Jargala Omo's lips curled up into a slight smile. She was formidable, he knew. The intelligent ones always were. Give him a brawler like Smoky Saburo any day, they were much easier to manage. "If you open those you will find some personal information with regards to the approximate amount of how much your individual organizations made last year and how much of that was transferred into your own personal accounts." He shrugged. "Give or take, of course. I assume there was a certain level of skimming happening, covert diverting of funds by higher level accountants, that sort of thing. Normal business practices, as it were. But the amounts should be close enough." He coughed politely. "Some of you are doing better than others, I must say."
Viper opened his envelope and read the single sheet of paper inside, his gaze hardening. "How did you get this information."
He fluttered a hand, dismissing this. "Well really, my dear fellow, that seems like more of a you problem than a me problem."
"Oh, it's a problem," said the head of the Red Monsoon Triad, crumpling his paper in his fingers. "You trying to start your own Triad here?"
His laughter was genuine. "You have quite mistaken me. I have no desire whatsoever to involve myself with the criminal underworld of Republic City. In fact, I would rather just spend my life blissfully pretending it does not exist. Which, as it happens, is how all of you in this room can assist me."
"Assist you how?" Jargala Omo stared at him, absently twirling her fingers. She'd neatly replaced her own paper in its envelope, unlike Smoky Saburo, who'd immediately incinerated his. She'd want to figure out how he'd gotten those numbers, of course, and that paper was a trail, thin as it was.
"I would like all of the Triads in this city to immediately cease and desist any further contact with my family members. That includes my husband, my daughter and any future children we may have, my staff, my in-laws and, of course, this city's esteemed police chief." He smiled again. "I am rather fond of her."
"The fucking stones on this guy," sneered the Red Monsoon leader, pulling a cigarette out of a case. "I respect Neutral Ground but the second he steps off this property his ass is mine."
"Not if I get to him first," Smoky Saburo grated out, flames dancing showily across his fingertips. He might have been startled if he didn't know that his husband could do that sort of thing in his sleep. He ignored it instead.
"Is your plan to give this information to Beifong?" Jargala Omo was genuinely asking. "It would be difficult to prove. Getting the numbers isn't the same as having them hold up in court. It's not much of a threat."
He nodded at her respectfully. Odd as it was, he did respect her in certain ways. She was a criminal, but not a thug. He understood the difference. "No, as I said, involving myself in that way is the exact opposite of what I wish to do." He kept eye contact with her. "What was in those envelopes ends here in this room. I give you my word as a Hou-Ting."
She leaned back in her chair. "You wouldn't be here without some sort of a threat to guarantee that we all leave your family alone, though. So what is it?"
Here it was, then. He nodded briskly before steepling his fingers. "As some of you might surmise, being a king is not all that different than being a Triad leader. Considerably more territory, of course. The Earth Kingdom isn't a few blocks of city streets, after all." This last was casually tossed at Smoky Saburo, who growled in return. "It takes quite a great deal of leadership to control the population, collect taxes, ensure compliance, that sort of thing. What you do here isn't all that unfamiliar to me." His mouth quirked up. "My great-aunt was especially fond of the whole torture them for no other reason than it amuses me school of thought, much like yourself, Saburo." He left unsaid what had happened to her, but Jargala Omo picked up on it, at least. He thought the Terra Triad boss, Luo Tai, did as well. "What makes people loyal to a leader? Especially those that make up the higher ranks. Nobility for a king, of course, and your own second-in-commands and lieutenants. After all, dedication and belief can only take you so far. Someone who is unhappy enough will, if given what they want, switch allegiances." He smiled then, channeling his great-aunt for all he was worth. "Money talks, ladies and gentlemen, and people listen. As can be demonstrated with the contents of those envelopes."
"You bribed our own people to get this information?" Viper was seething.
"Let us just say that I provided them with what they needed in order to get their loyalty, shall we?" He flicked up an eyebrow. "A successful leader understands the difference between want and need and provides accordingly, is that not correct, Madame Omo?"
"That is correct," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest.
"For what it is worth, Madame Omo, your people's loyalty proved quite difficult to procure. Considerably more difficult than any of the others." She nodded at him, but didn't look surprised. He wasn't lying; it had been extremely difficult to get what he needed from her organization. She took care of her people, clearly. He took in a breath and gazed about the table. "If you took the varying amounts that all five of you here accumulated last year it would equal in total to about ten percent of the interest on all of my various investments for the past month." He shrugged slightly. "That's merely the interest in my investments. That doesn't include all of my properties, my easily liquidated assets, my extremely profitable shipping contracts, my various holdings, that sort of thing." He truly had no idea as to the extent of all of it; numbers made his head ache. He'd asked his bank representative to write some of it down and had memorized it for this very meeting. "In short, I am wealthier than your wildest dreams. Kings, after all, are not Triad Bosses. We're so very much more." He leaned forward to make his point. "If I may be blunt? I have no need for threats nor violence because I can outspend all of you. On every single level. Whether that meant I quite literally bought up entire swathes of the city itself to foil your protection rackets or hired my own private bending force for protection or even decided to bankroll a new Triad that would easily put you all out of business, it is of no real consequence to me. Wealth makes everything possible and I am, quite frankly, wholly unconcerned with the legality of anything when it comes to my family." He gazed at them all in turn. "It is what it is."
"The fuck is he talking about?" Smoky Saburo demanded. "He threatening us?"
"Shut up, Saburo," Luo Tai said. "Ask Edo to explain it to you, he at least gets it." The Agni Kai second leaned forward to murmur into his boss's ear. Luo Tai turned back to glare at him. "So suppose - just suppose - we do that. Suppose we back off and leave your family alone - "
"My extended family, my staff and the police chief."
Luo Tai gritted his teeth. "Your extended family, staff, and that bitch Beifong. We leave them alone and you leave us alone, is that it? No getting in our way, no competing with us."
He smiled. "Precisely. A simple arrangement, yes?"
Luo Tai merely scoffed at that. Jargala Omo continued to watch him, however. "I assume you know that in our business, Triad leaders can and do get overthrown. New Triads can form and old ones can fall. Any agreement made in this room today might be forfeit at any time."
He nodded in return. "I do understand this. However, I believe that if word got around that I would continue to honor this particular agreement with any and all successors that it might prove to continue to be satisfactory to all parties, regardless of the Triads involved or their subsequent leaders."
"Perhaps," was all she replied.
He raised his hands into a dramatic shrug. "For today, the people in this room would do. The current bosses and their seconds."
"Understood," she said, and bowed at him from where she sat. "I believe I underestimated you, Prince Wu."
"It has been known to happen," he said.
"I won't do it again."
"Indeed." He looked about the table. "I understand that this may take some consideration on your parts. Therefore, all I request is that if you agree to my proposition you let me know within the week. A letter addressed to my secretarial firm would do." He sighed. "I do quite sincerely hope we can accomplish this in a civilized manner. I have a Spring Festival to plan, after all. I should hate for the celebration to lose some of its glory because I was distracted with other matters." At that he stood, looking about the room questioningly.
"You have my agreement," Jargala Omo said with a smile, coming to her own feet. "Your people are safe from mine. And in return, you will leave Creeping Crystal territory alone."
"Agreed," he replied, and took the hand she was holding out for him, clasping it to show their bond. "May I add, it has been a pleasure, Madame Omo?"
She laughed at that, her eyes dancing. He did think he would like her a great deal; a pity they could not really associate. "The same, Prince Wu. The same."
"You have mine as well." Luo Tai's grip was firm. "If any of my people break it I will see to it personally that it will be the last thing they do."
"I'll need to discuss this with my people," the Red Monsoon boss said, crossing his arms. "That's the best you'll get from me today." He inclined his head at the man and left it at that. Waterbenders never did anything without involving a clan vote, that much he knew. It wasn't unexpected.
Smoky Saburo's laugh was cruel. "What's to stop me from still killing you the minute you walk out this door? Dead men can't make no threats."
He sighed in disappointment, shaking his head. "I had hoped we could remain more civilized than that. Naturally, in the event of my untimely death my associates will immediately dismantle your operation and remove you, personally, from the equation on my behalf. I should have thought that would have gone without saying, honestly."
"Shut the fuck up, Saburo, you fired up dickhead. I wish someone'd kill you and save me the spirits rotting headache." Viper strode towards him. "I ain't got no love for your husband. Or his brother, come to that. It's a personal thing, you follow? So I want you to know, this is a sacrifice on my part."
He merely watched the man, one eyebrow raised. He knew what Viper was hinting at, but he was resolute. There would be no other offers but this one. He could not show any signs of weakness. In any case, the man had always left Mako and Bolin alone, for some reason that had always baffled him. Someone somewhere must have brokered some kind of agreement, but his informants had not been able to find out anything at all. After a long, tense moment Viper grabbed his hand and squeezed, hard enough to grind the bones together. Did the man think that would break him? He'd learned how to keep his composure the hard way, after all. "Are we agreed, then?"
"Fuck you, you little prick. Agreed." Viper flung his hand away and stomped away, still seething.
"I believe I have said all that I need to say, then. Again, I thank you for your time." He tipped his head and ignoring the throb in his hand, took up his stick and made his way to the door, where the big man with the smashed nose opened it for him.
"Have nice day, Your Highness," he said, bowing properly, surprising him nearly into a stumble.
"Thank you. And you as well." Schooling his expression, he forced himself to take the hallway at an unconcerned amble, despite his wish to run out of there at full speed. Emerging into the Pai Sho parlor, he passed along an envelope to the woman with the bracelets. "Thank you for your kind assistance, madam," he said, not turning around at her gasp as she saw the amount he'd left her. It wasn't until he and his agent were into the hired car, making their way back to the spa, that he allowed himself to properly breathe, sagging back against the cushions in the back seat, examining his hand, wincing at the pain. He quite sincerely hoped that Viper hadn't done any real damage to it, although he'd need to have a healer look at it.
"Are you well, Your Majesty?" The Dai Li finally spoke. He'd been instructed to remain silently in the background unless anyone made an actual attempt on Wu's life.
"I believe I might need a waterhealer to take a look at this hand. Be a good fellow and fetch one once we get back to the spa, would you? I shouldn't want my husband to see it."
"Immediately, Your Majesty."
"Yes, thank you."
He closed his eyes and reminded himself that he was fine, cursing the tremors that were overtaking his body. He still had enough time that he could have the healer take care of the hand and perhaps even slide a facial in there if he forgo the haircut. His hair would be fine for the next two weeks until it was time for another trim. It wasn't like Mako would notice anyhow. The car pulled up to the back entrance and they both got out. "Thank you again -"
"Where you been?" Qi was standing next to the back door, arms crossed, eyeing the Dai Li with a murderous glare.
He opened his mouth and then closed it again before pasting on a smile. "Why Qi! What on earth are you doing back here? Don't tell me they ran out of those delightful little sandwiches for you?"
"Who's that?"
"This is...well, a former associate from my days as the Earth King, you understand." He nodded at the agent, who bowed at him and, with a quick glance at Qi, left, presumably to get the healer.
"It's my job to be with you. Why you going places without me?"
He realized, with more than a little shock, that Qi was actually angry. "Why Qi! I...well my gracious, it isn't that I don't want you driving me around! It just happens that today I had particular business that was better suited to..." he trailed off as Qi's eyes narrowed.
"You don't be goin' nowhere unless I be there. I made Herself a promise and I don't break no promises."
He swallowed. "Qi, I most certainly wasn't trying to make you break your word to Lin. It's not the first time I've had someone else drive me, you know this."
"I'm there to see to you. Ain't just about another driver." They stepped forward. "Why you holdin' your hand like that? Who hurt you?" Their eyes went flat and cold. "That man there, he hurt you?"
He reached out with his uninjured hand to put it on Qi's shoulder. It was bold on his part; with the exception of Naoki Qi did not like to be touched. "No, he did not. I promise you, Qi."
"But he let someone do it, yeah? Let someone get close enough to hurt you some." Their nostrils flared white. "I don't let nobody hurt you. Not nobody at all." Their hand twitched at the pocket he knew they kept a knife in.
"Qi. Qi. Look at me." He waited until they met his gaze. "Qi, I know that you would. And that is why I could not take you with me today, do you understand?"
"No!"
He stepped a little closer. "Qi, sometimes...well. Sometimes I may have sensitive situations that require more subtle measures. Do you understand?"
"You don't want me?" The anguish in their hoarse voice made his heart squeeze painfully.
"No! Oh Qi, no, no. I do want you, very much. But sometimes, I need someone with me who won't just poke someone with a knife the first time they threaten me. You are very fierce, Qi. Very fierce indeed. And I appreciate this and indeed rely on it. But sometimes, it is better to let someone know you are fierce without showing them, if that makes sense. Without outwardly threatening them."
Qi's breath caught and he felt them shudder under his hand. "You sayin' I can't just out and stick somebody?"
"I am saying that sometimes that might be necessary. But at other times it is important that the knives stay sheathed. For your safety as well as mine."
Qi was quiet for a moment. "You sayin' I need to be makin' them piss their pants even if they don't never see my knives."
"Essentially. Yes."
"I can do it, Boss." Qi met their eyes. "I can learn. I can learn and then you take me the next time, yeah? You tell me how to be, then I be it. But you take me next time. You don't be leavin' me behind. Not ever again."
It was hard to meet the intensity in those hazel eyes. He knew Mako wasn't happy with him keeping Qi on; Mako had referred to them as feral and had expressed his reservations more than once. But he had come, over the past few months, to care deeply for them. He knew there was more to them than what most people thought. "Alright, Qi. You learn how to be more subtle and I will take you with me."
"You promise?"
"I give you my word as a Hou-Ting." It was the second time he'd said it that day and he meant both promises equally. "Now then. Let us go inside. A waterhealer will be seeing to my injury and I would like to perhaps get a facial, since I am here." He had not yet removed his hand. "But I don't wish to discuss this with anyone else, Qi. Not Mako and not Lin."
"I gotcha, Boss. I won't say nothin'. I ain't a Hou-Ting but my word's good, too."
"Oh Qi, I do know that. I trust you."
"You do?" The naked vulnerability was making his throat ache as well. What on earth was he to do with them?
"Yes. I do. So let us say no more about it, yes? Come now, escort me inside. In fact, what would you say to a little facial?"
The skeptical look Qi shot his way made him laugh despite himself. "A facial?"
"Certainly. They are quite invigorating as well as relaxing at the same time. I quite look forward to them. Not to mention that without them on a regular basis I have a tendency towards, shall we say, imperfections in the quality of my skin."
Qi bit their lip against what he thought might actually be a smile. "This your fancy way of sayin' you got zits?"
"Zits! I beg your pardon, Qi! Kings do not have zits."
"Royal zits?"
He closed his eyes and put his hand to his chest in mock distress. "Imperfections, Qi. Imperfections. Attempt some delicacy, please." He opened them to smile at Qi. "What do you say? Come inside with me. I must wait for the healer and you can consider it. If you would like to you may, and if not, that is fine as well."
"Boss, I can't go all the way in there!" Qi's scandalized tone drew a chuckle out of him, despite himself. "It ain't for the likes of me!"
He stopped laughing at that. "Qi, you belong with me now. That means where I go, you go, yes?" At Qi's earnest nod he sniffed. "Well then. Exactly. If I say you may come in with me and have a facial then so you shall. There is simply no more to be said about it. Understood?"
"Yes, Boss."
"Good." He carefully hooked his arm into Qi's and pulled them along to knock at the back door, shaking them a little until they finally stopped scowling.
Notes:
I purely hated the Turf Wars comic; as I've stated before, my canon compliance ends with the show finale and doesn't take into consideration any of the TLOK comics or post-show creator commentary. However, I really did like Jargala Omo, so I've broken my own rule and included her here.
Chapter 23: An Unforseen Occurance: Asami Changes A Diaper
Summary:
Archived from a Tumblr prompt:
"At home"
Notes:
This is for everyone who's ever had to change the diaper of a very tiny human with a penis.
Chapter Text
“Upside down! Korra! Turn me upside down!” Naoki shrieked with glee as Korra swung her around by her ankles, the both of them whooping it up even louder. Asami glanced nervously at Zhi’s carrycot but he was still sleeping, thankfully.
“Look at me, I’ve got a kid to mop my floor!” Korra dragged her along, Naoki’s braids sliding along the polished wood. “Best use for a firebender ever!”
“Excuse me, Avatar.” Her majordomo bowed as he entered the room. “But you have a call.”
“Eh, tell whoever it is I’ll call them back.” She pretended to eat one of Naoki’s toes and the noise level burgeoned again.
“It is the president, and she says that it cannot wait.” Her majordomo took on a faintly apologetic tone.
“That’s what she always says.” Korra sighed before hauling Naoki up to sit on her hip. “Listen, pipsqueak, I have to go and talk to the president.” She made a funny face, complete with waggling tongue, and Naoki giggled. “You hang out here with Asami and I’ll be right back, okay?”
“Do you have to?” Naoki drooped.
“Yeah, I do.” Korra blew a raspberry on her cheek. “And I wish I didn’t. But I’ll be right back.” She tugged at a braid and let Naoki slither down to the floor. “I’ll make it as quick as I can,” she told Asami, catching her eyes and she nodded.
“Of course.” The president liked to think that the Avatar was a member of her staff. Every once in awhile, Korra needed to make it clear, yet once again, that she wasn’t. She jogged out of the room, a grim look on her face.
“So what are we doing now?” Naoki was standing in front of her, balancing on one foot. “You wanna play hide and seek?”
“Oh…I don’t think we can leave your brother alone.” Right on cue, Zhi woke up and started to whimper. She stared down at him. “Uh…” She caught herself looking around the room for Korra. Get it together, Sato, the Avatar can’t save you from everything. Even her majordomo had abandoned her.
“Zhi’s awake,” Naoki informed her, peering down at her brother. “Maybe he needs a new diaper. Or maybe he’s hungry.”
“Ah…um…” She reached out a perfectly-manicured hand and gingerly patted him. He was unimpressed.
Naoki pointed. “Daddy put everything into his bag.”
“Right!” She pasted on a bright, cheerful smile. “Well, let’s just get that, then.”
“I can help!” Naoki snatched at the bag, covered in brightly colored koala sheep, and thrust it at her. “It has his diapers and his bottles and his baby milk and other stuff.” She leaned over her brother and sniffed. “Uh oh, I think he made a poopie.”
Of course he had. “Well. We’ll just have to take care of that.” Oh spirits. She had no idea how to take care of it. “So. First things first. Get that diaper changed.” She reached in and began to fumble with various buttons, trying to remove the garment that seemed to be mysteriously attached to his body. Zhi’s wails escalated.
“You have to unbutton that one,” Naoki said, leaning over the carrycot. “I can show you.” She reached in and did something with nimble fingers that finally exposed him. “Don’t cry, Zhi, we’re gonna make it better!” The smell was very, very pungent. “You hafta take the pins off. But careful! Once Papa poked him and Zhi cried and Papa cried, too.”
“Oh. Yes. I’ll be careful.” No pressure or anything. She warily pinched at the diaper pins and managed to get them unhooked.
“You’re doing great, Asami!” Naoki gave her a thumbs up.
“Thank you,” she replied, and gently pulled the diaper back. “Oh! Oh…that’s…”
“Poopie,” Naoki answered gravely. “Told you.”
Oh, the smell. The smell! “So…what do we do to remove it?” Naoki looked her blankly. “How do we get it away?”
“The poopie?” Naoki turned to fish in the bag, pulling out a clean, damp rag. “We can use this.” She handed it to her. “Sometimes Daddy gives him a bath in the sink.”
“Well, we can try this first.” She leaned over, rag in hand, and gasped as a steady stream of urine arched up and hit her in the neck. “Hey! Oh!”
“Now he peed,” Naoki observed, ever so helpfully. “Daddy says you have to be quick as lightning.”
She bit back a few choice words that were not appropriate for the four year old. “I see.” She took the rag and dabbed at her neck. She’d been, in her time, covered with brake fluid, oil, even blood. But never with the urine of a five month old.
She grimly dedicated herself to the task at hand. She was Asami Sato, successful CEO of Future Industries, the winner of last year’s Thirty Under Thirty To Watch Out For award, a woman to be reckoned with. She could certainly handle a diaper change!
She could not, in fact, handle a diaper change.
Zhi sobbed with outrage at her clumsy handling, Naoki offered what was surely meant to be helpful four year old advice but which sounded shockingly condescending and she tried very hard not to think of the urine on her collar and the excrement that she was sure was probably in her nails, despite her best efforts. She finally got him cleaned up, into a new diaper - re-pinning the pins after Naoki informed her that they weren’t tight enough and that the baby would leak - and managed to get him into a clean sleeper. It took her well over five minutes. She thought she was done, but he was still crying and Naoki pointed out that the baby would most likely want something to eat as well.
She appreciated that Wu was stubborn about the whole nanny thing. But she’d had one, and as far as she was concerned, a nanny was the way to go. How on earth did people do this? Take care of an infant and work as well? She was frazzled after a single diaper change.
She was wondering if she could leave them alone long enough to wash her hands when Korra came back in. Relieved, she smiled at her. “Anything life-threatening?”
Korra grimaced. “Not even close. I told her if she called me again at home on a non-emergency I’d stop taking her calls altogether.” She grabbed Naoki and tossed her high into the air. “Did you miss me?”
“Korra! Asami changed Zhi’s diaper!”
That got her a grin. “Did she now? Tell me, was she any good at it?”
Naoki shook her head. “No.”
Thanks a lot, kid. Korra just laughed, though. “Has he eaten?” At her denial she rummaged in the bag and pulled out a glass bottle and a can of baby milk. “That’s what we need here.” She quickly opened the can with her bending, warming the bottle up a bit with her bending as well. Taking Zhi up, she popped the nipple into his mouth and he immediately stopped howling, sucking at it eagerly. “You get ‘em, Zhi.” She sat down next to Asami, the baby cradled easily in her arms. “A diaper, huh?”
“Don’t even start with me.” She tried to frown but Korra leaned over and kissed her and she smiled.
“So what do you want to do after your brother finishes eating, hmmm?” She winked at Naoki.
“Hide and seek?”
“Hide and seek it is, then.”
“Zhi peed on Asami,” Naoki announced, and Korra stared at her. With a sigh she pointed at the wet spot.
“Boy babies. They’re quick.” Korra was laughing, and she swatted at her arm.
“I think I need to wash my hands. And get changed.”
“Yeah, go on. I’ll feed him and then the pipsqueak and I can play some hide and seek.” She raised her eyebrow at Naoki. “You can run, but you can’t hide.”
“What does that mean?”
“Means I’m going to win, that’s what it means!”
“Nu-huh!”
“Uh-huh!”
“Nu-huh!”
“Uh-huh!”
She smiled as she made her way down the hall.
Chapter 24: Apropos Of Nothing: Rumors Abound In Ba Sing Se
Summary:
Something silly that came out of a tumblr conversation. Thanks to dai-li-sargeant and vyanni-krace-666 for playing along!
What the Dai Li do on their nights off.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
It was late by the time Mako got home, and he was worn out. Too keyed up to sleep, but he wanted to do nothing more than take a hot shower and maybe have a finger or two of whiskey. He assumed everyone would already be asleep, but he could see a single dim light burning upstairs in their bedroom window, behind the curtains. Wu must be awake, then. Maybe up with the baby. He parked the car in the garage and slid his shoes off before he tiptoed into the kitchen entrance. He didn't want to wake LoLo.
Wu was up, pacing the bedroom floor, half-asleep and swaying automatically, Zhi held up to his shoulder. He smiled as Mako crept into the bedroom and put his finger to his lips. Mako pointed towards the bathroom and Wu nodded. He gave a kiss to Wu's temple as he passed by and glanced down at the baby; he looked to be sleeping, but Zhi was tricky that way. Just when you thought it was safe to lay him down his eyes would pop open and then you'd have to start the whole jiggle-sway routine from the get-go. Always better to be safe than sorry with Zhi. Naoki, on the other hand, could sleep through a triad war going on over her head. Nothing woke that girl up.
He got into the shower and turned the hot water up as high as he could stand it, breathing out a little sigh. He smelled like the cheap perfume that one of the women had been wearing; something overly sweet and cloying with a metallic undertaste. Nasty stuff. She'd kept trying to sit in his lap, putting her arms around him sloppily and making kissing noises in his ear. He'd finally appealed to his partner, Chiyo, to get her off of him. Chiyo rolled her eyes, but she'd firmly escorted Miss Yum-Yum away for questioning. Miss Yum-Yum. You'd think that if someone was going to take on a stripper name they'd think of something slightly more inspiring than Miss Yum-Yum. Like Miss Sugar Queen, maybe. No, that wasn't any good either. Jade Blossom? No wait, that was the name of the girl in those sandbender romances Wu liked so much. What about -
"You know, some men might get a little jealous if their husbands showed up at home with red lipstick on their collars."
Mako jumped. Damn, but Wu was sneaky. He hadn't even heard him come in.
"Shit, do you think they can get it out at the laundry?" He poked his head out of the shower to see Wu grinning at him, holding his shirt and raising his eyebrows.
"Oh, I'm certain your collar wouldn't be the first to arrive thus soiled."
Mako snorted at this. "Did the baby go down?"
Wu sighed. "Well, let's hope so. I swear that child wakes himself up on purpose. It's like he can't stand to sleep and miss out on anything." He yawned.
"Give me a sec, let me rinse the soap off." He rinsed himself, turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist before noticing that Wu had left him a glass with exactly two fingers of whiskey in it. Bless the man. He swallowed it down before brushing his teeth and going back into the bedroom. Wu was in bed, propped up on the pillows, reading his novel. He glanced up as Mako walked in, took a bookmark from off of his nightstand and placed it inside the book before putting the book down. "Thank you for using a bookmark."
"You're welcome. Rough night?"
Mako stretched, his spine popping, and then tugged on a pair of clean shorts before sliding into bed. "Agni Kai hit a strip joint."
Wu covered up his laughter with his hand. "That would explain that particularly garish shade of red."
Mako rolled his eyes. "Don't remind me. Compliments of Miss Yum-Yum, who kept trying to give me a lap dance. Which, contrary to popular belief, I did not want."
"Miss Yum-Yum? Oh come now, she could have done better than that. Mochi Delight, if she wanted to stick with the edible theme. Succulent Dumpling, perhaps."
"You'd be Succulent Dumpling."
"I am a succulent dumpling, and don't you forget it. You've already got a stripper name, Officer Hotpants."
"Call me that to my face!"
Wu tilted his head over to kiss him, mumbling, "Officer Hotpants," against his lips. Mako laughed and leaned over him to shut the lamp off, settling down onto his pillow, Wu's head resting on his chest. The room was dimly lit by moonlight and he could just make out Wu's profile in it as his eyes adjusted.
"I've never been to a strip joint, you know. Plenty of nightclubs, obviously, but never an actual premises that uses garment removal as a means of titillation."
Mako shrugged in the darkness. "Used to collect at them when I was running numbers for the Triple Threats but I wasn't actually watching the shows or anything. Well. That's not true, I watched what I could while I was waiting. But I wasn't there as a customer. Not my thing." He chuckled. "Well, I guess it was my thing when I was fifteen or so. Not my thing now."
"Rumor had it that the Dai Li had their own private strip club."
"Get the fuck out!"
"I can't attest to the veracity of the rumor, mind - I certainly wasn't allowed in the underground tunnels under the palace or anything - but it was one of those commonly accepted kind of things."
Mako carded his fingers through Wu's hair. "Someone gossiped about that to you?"
"Don't be daft, Mako, of course they didn't. My great-aunt would have had their heads. I listened in at keyholes and hid behind tapestries, that kind of thing. You get all the best gossip that way."
"Little sneak. So. A Dai Li strip club, huh?"
"Well, you've been to part of the underground city, right?"
"Not to see a show, that's for damn sure."
That got a little huff of laughter from Wu. "Who knows what all they had down there. I shudder to think, really. I do know they trained there and that's where their barracks were, that wasn't a secret or anything. Everyone knew. But other than that, your guess is as good as mine."
"I can tell you they had a prison."
"Ooh, my very own nefarious hoodlum!" That got him a tug on his hair for his trouble. "You do like to try out local prisons, don't you?"
"Don't remind me. So. Strip club, hmm? I wonder what kind of stripper names they had?"
"I'd wager they were all virile rock sorts of names. Mr. Granite. The Boulder. Master Fist."
Mako was shaking with laughter. "I was thinking that they had women working down there, not that the Dai Li themselves were stripping!"
"Oh please, those Dai Li. I know for a fact Wei Beifong went through half of them in one fell swoop. I certainly never heard of any women down there!"
"Sexist pigs."
"Among other things. Although look at the Kyoshis, they're only women. And frankly, I'd go with Yumi over a Dai Li any day."
"That makes two of us. So. Stripper Dai Li agents. Do you suppose they kept their hats on while they were stripping?"
"Naturally. And they had little uniform Dai Li g-strings, complete with the Earth Kingdom symbol covering up their little Dai Li's. Oh! And pasties that looked just like their hats! With matching tassels! If they were really good they could swirl the tassels in circles! Think of the training possibilities!" Wu sat up and moved his fingers around in circles in front of his own pajama-clad nipples to demonstrate.
Mako was really laughing now. "Did they gave each other tips?"
"Why do you think they invented those flying rock fists? Cram a few yuan in it, send it soaring! What's a few bruises and broken ribs for a good tip?"
"Well, damn! There were no yuan in the rock fists that hit me!"
"Should have taken your clothes off first. You probably would have collected quite the payload."
Mako wrapped his arms around him and pulled him back down to his own pillow. "Anybody ever tell you that you have quite the imagination?"
"A time or two." Wu's face nearly creased itself in half with a yawn, which triggered Mako into his own yawn. "Oh spirits, I'm tired."
Mako kissed him. "Go to sleep, then. Dream of Dai Li swirling their tassels."
"Rather dream of you," mumbled Wu, already sliding into sleep.
Dai Li pasties with tassels. Oh, Wu. Mako smiled to himself as he closed his own eyes and held his husband close.
Notes:
This was illustrated for me by The Dai Li Sargeant (AKA Master Fist) himself.
I AM DYING.
Chapter 25: A Relaxing Proposition: Korra Massages Asami
Summary:
Archiving a prompt meme from Tumblr.
Korra and Asami: Shoulder rubs.
Chapter Text
Asami stretched her neck to one side with a deep crunching noise. She put her pen down for a moment to rub her forehead, suppressing a yawn.
“Time to quit yet?” Korra spoke up from the sofa in the far corner of Asami’s office. Asami hadn’t even noticed her sitting there.
“I should probably finish up these sets of figures for this quarter’s sales revenue first.”
“Yeah. What I heard was blah blah sales blah I am not going to eat any dinner once again blah.”
Asami smiled. “I did eat lunch. Am I forgiven?”
“Put it in writing, I’ll consider it.” Korra hopped off the sofa and came over to peer at the papers on the desk. “I don’t know how you wade through this every month. It makes zero sense to me.”
“It doesn’t make much more sense to me, that’s why it always takes me so long to do it. Accounting isn’t really part of my skill set.”
“And once again, why is it you can’t hire someone else to do it for you?” Korra crossed her arms over her chest.
“Korra. You know how I feel about it. I can’t risk losing this company. I’ve been screwed over too many times in the past.”
“How hard can it be to find someone you’d trust?” Korra came around the back of Asami’s chair and dug her strong fingers into Asami’s neck and shoulders. “You feel like a rock. How long do you think you can keep this up?”
“As long as I have to,” Asami said. Her voice was weary. She sighed and closed her eyes as Korra tried to ease the knots out.
“But if you could find someone you could trust, would you consider it? Turning over the financial part at least?”
“I would consider it. Contrary to popular belief I don’t actually want to be spending all of my time trying to get all of these numbers right. While I’m busy doing this I can’t work on any of the prototypes for the new motorcycle. Which is what I want to be doing right now, believe me.”
Korra kissed the back of her neck. “I’m not trying to make it more difficult, sorry.” Asami reached a hand up to her neck and squeezed one of Korra’s hands in hers before letting it drop. Korra continued to work the knots out of Asami’s neck until she let out with a gasp. “Oh, found a spot there.” She dug a little deeper with her fingers. “I had lunch with Mako and Bo last week.”
“I remember. You told me.”
“Their cousin is finishing up her degree at Republic City University. Meng-Meng. You remember her, one of the refugees?”
“Do I remember her?”
“Sure you do, she’s the one who told Mako to pull his head out of his ass that one time.”
Asami gave a little laugh. “Okay, yeah. That one. I remember her.”
“Anyhow, Mako mentioned that she would be graduating next month. She’s been studying both business and finance there. According to Mako, she’s a whiz at numbers. Better than he is, he said.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. And you know Mako. He wouldn’t say it if he didn’t believe it.”
“That’s true.”
“So I was thinking, maybe you should give her a call. See if she wants a job or something.”
Asami pulled away from Korra to look up at her. “Are you trying to get me to hire Mako’s cousin?”
Korra shrugged. “Well, you know her at least, right? Mako seems to really think highly of her. And you know I love to give Mako shit but if he thinks she’s good then I’d trust his judgement.”
Asami looked back down and Korra put her hands back on her shoulders, pressing in. “I would too, if it came to that. Oh, I don’t know.”
“Look, why don’t we invite her over for dinner or something? You can talk to her, get a better feel for her. Nobody is saying you have to do something you don’t want to. It’s just dinner.”
“Is this how you handle international relations? Give people shoulder rubs and bully them into inviting people over to dinner?”
“Hey, it’s the new and improved Avatar. Service with a smile!”
Asami laughed and leaned back into her. “I really do hate accounting.”
“Yeah, I know you do. And maybe she’s not what you are looking for. But she might be. And at least we know her and her family.”
“Mmmmm. I guess I can call Mako and ask him about her.”
“Do that. You know he’ll be honest with you about her.” Korra ran her fingers through Asami’s hair.
“Yeah, I know.”
“Come on. I know you've got to get this done but you can spare a little time for dinner. I’ve got an arctic hen roasting in the oven.”
“You do?”
“I’m an all-purpose Avatar.”
“Lucky me.”
“Lucky you.” Korra wrapped her arms around her and laid her cheek on the top of Asami’s head.
Chapter 26: A Customary Morning: Getting Everyone Out The Door
Summary:
Archived from a Tumblr prompt:
"A kiss...casually"
Chapter Text
“You won’t forget to eat lunch again, will you?” LoLo expertly stretched out dough, pulling it and pushing it back into itself. “Cork, knead it, don’t poke at it. Nobody likes tough noodles.”
“Yessir!”
“What, are you checking up on me at Chin’s?” Lin scowled. “Is Junior running his big mouth when the two of you are playing cards?”
“You’d kick Junior in his behind if he tattled and he knows it.” He glanced over towards the door and raised his voice. “Naoki! Let’s shake a leg, Lin doesn’t have all day to wait around for you.”
“I’m right here!” Naoki came skidding around the door, braids flying, her book bag clutched in her hands. “Papa took too long on my hair.”
“You were farting around, you mean.” Lin flicked an eyebrow. “Pull up your socks.”
Naoki grumbled under her breath as she hitched up her socks and was roundly ignored.
“LoLo, what happens if I drink this?” Zhi was sniffing suspiciously at a bottle.
“That’s vinegar. And you’d be sick if you drank it. So don’t.”
“Oh.” Zhi hastily put it back down. “Can I help Cork?”
Cork tipped him a wink. “Go’n wash yer mitts, then.”
“Do you mean my hands? Why do you call them mitts, Cork?”
“Dunno, just do.”
“Maybe I’ll call mine mitts too, then.”
“Papa will let you have it if you do,” Naoki said, covertly swiping a leftover dumpling. Meili let out with an ear-splitting screech from her playpen, reaching for it. “Hey! This one’s mine!”
“You’re not eating that in my car, I don’t want kid mess in it.”
“I don’t make a mess!”
“I make messes,” Zhi threw out, poking his finger into a piece of dough. No one argued.
LoLo put his dough down, took up a dumpling, handed it to Meili, walked across the kitchen and kissed Lin. “Eat lunch today, woman.”
“Hmph.”
He leaned down and kissed Naoki as well. “Have a good day, Butterfly.” Her reply was unintelligible around the entire dumpling she’d stuffed into her mouth.
“Let’s roll.” Lin put her hand to the back of Naoki’s head and gently guided her out the side door, towards the garage.
Chapter 27: An Exercise In Nurturing: Wu Plays Nurse In The Park
Summary:
Archiving a prompt meme from Tumblr.
Wuko: Finding the other wearing their clothes. and Patching up a wound.
Chapter Text
“Aaah! You don’t have to stab me like that!”
“I am not stabbing you, Mako. What a great baby you are! That’s what you get for trying to act the hero. At your age, too. Really. Now hold still, you’ve still got rocks stuck in your knee.”
“Ow!”
“My word! Even Meili is quieter than you, and she’s only two.”
“I bet you don’t dig the tweezers into Meili the way you’re doing to me!”
“I wouldn’t dig them into you if you would just sit still. Gracious! I think I’ve got them all out now anyhow. Well, at least most of the bleeding has stopped. What on earth possessed you to jump off the swing like that in midair?”
“I was trying to show Zhi how to do it.”
“May I remind you that you are not an airbender?”
“No way. You are not pouring that stuff on my knee. Forget it. It’s fine now.”
“I need to disinfect it, do you want it to get infected? Spirits know what kind of germs are all over a children’s playground. Now hold still a moment-”
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH! Damn it, Wu! That stings!”
“That’s what happens when you make an ass of yourself in front of an audience. No! You sit right back down, don’t you dare walk away until I’m finished! Honestly, Mako! You are a bad influence on the children.”
“Don’t pour more on it!”
“Be still!”
“DAMN IT! That stings, I tell you! You are the worst nurse ever.”
“There. All clean. Now I’ll put some of the salve on it and wrap it up.”
“I want my jacket back.”
“What?”
“I gave you my jacket because you were cold and now you are paying me back by destroying my knee.”
“And here I thought you destroyed your own knee by catapulting yourself through the air like a fool. There. You see? All done. You’ll need to change your trousers when we get home, though, you’ve put a big rent in the knee in those ones.”
“What are you doing?”
“Taking off your jacket, the way you demanded.”
“Well, you don’t have to take it off. And anyway, since when do you carry a first aid kit to the park?”
“Since always, Mako. I have snacks in my bag as well. Qi and I always come prepared to the park.”
“Hmph.”
“Well hmph yourself.”
“Thank you for fixing my knee.”
“You’re welcome. No, don’t throw the rocks away, Naoki made me promise to save them so she could look at them. Don’t look at me like that, she gets it from you, not me. Here. Have a mochi. It’s a coconut one. Your favorite. Take one to Zhi while you are at it, he’s still over there waiting for you to push him on the swings. All that shouting you did, I’m surprised the neighbors aren’t out looking to see who was murdered.”
“Love you.”
“Yes, yes, I know. Now go limp away while I clean up this mess. The children are waiting on you.”
Chapter 28: A Conflicted Resolution: A Fight Over Nothing
Summary:
Archived from a Tumblr prompt:
"A kiss... on a scar"
Chapter Text
“Look, I’m not going to fight about it.” Mako pulled his jacket off, tossing it haphazardly over the stand the valet had left in a prominent place in his dressing room.
“Oh, certainly not. You’ll just say nothing and seethe for days.” A slam as one of Wu’s drawers in his dressing room was shut a little too forcefully. “I know how this goes, you see.”
“Of course you do,” he muttered, his shirt following, sliding to the floor. He ignored it.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Nothing.”
“Is it too much to ask for a civil conversation?” Wu appeared in the doorway, in nothing but his shirtsleeves and unbuttoned trousers. “Please tell me you are not going to leave that shirt on the floor.”
“You know what? How about you stick to your own dressing room and leave me to mine?” His undershirt was next. “Stop trying to make me talk about something I don’t want to.”
“Stop trying to get out of every single conversation you don’t want to have, then! I have the right to discuss things that bother me!”
“Look, when I come home from work I don’t always want to fucking chit-chat, okay?” His hands had crept up to his hips. “Some of us don’t have the luxury of sitting around all day.”
Silence.
“Well. I had no idea that caring for our children involved sitting around all day. Gracious. Foolish me. I was under the mistaken impression that getting Naoki ready for school and helping her with her homework and taking Zhi out to get fitted for new shoes and dealing with the baby’s colic was something that required me to get off of my royal posterior, but apparently not.” Wu held up one finger. “Oh. I am mistaken. I was sitting down today when I went through my correspondence and drafted several necessary letters, including one to my estate lawyers in Ba Sing Se. Quite a luxury, I assure you.” Wu stormed back out. A few seconds; then, as he had expected, the door to Wu’s dressing room slammed.
Mako sighed. He finished undressing - picking up the shirt and making sure it stayed put on the stand - and then slid on a pair of sleeping trousers before braving the bathroom. Wu entered as he was brushing his teeth, clad in what he privately thought of as his Don’t Fucking Touch Me Pajamas, a heavy silk pair with a long tunic that went practically to his knees, buttoned all the way up to his chin. Wu pointedly ignored him as he put cold cream on his face, brushed out his hair, and cleaned his teeth.
“Wu…”
Wu threw up a single hand and turned his face away. Mako sighed again and went past him into bed. It was going to be like that, then. Spirits but he was tired. He lay back against his pillow for just a moment before sitting back up and reaching for his ointment.
His scars were much fainter than they used to be. He’d felt sick, the first time he’d really gotten a look at his arm; he’d not really had time to see the damage in the aftermath of the destruction of the Colossus. He’d been in shock, of course, and his memories of the whole thing were spotty at best. But a week or so later when Kya had come to take over from the burn specialist and had unwrapped his hand and arm he’d nearly gone to pieces. It had looked so bad. He hadn’t, at the time, been able to fathom it ever looking anything close to normal again. He had a scar on his sternum, as well, where the spirit energy had hit him, but it had never been as severe and had healed much faster and cleaner than his arm had. Nowadays you’d have to look pretty closely to see it. The hand and arm, though. Better, yes. Pink and white now, instead of a gruesome red. But never normal.
Sometimes he still had nightmares that he’d never gotten the bending back in that arm. There’d been a time when even the healers weren’t sure it would ever return. He’d never regretted what he did - that fucking behemoth would have taken down the entire city if he hadn’t done what he’d done, most likely - but he’d been so terrified that he’d lose the use of the arm.
He was still staring down at it when Wu came out of the bathroom. Wu clucked his annoyance and took the ointment jar away from him. No matter how angry Wu was at him, he always put the ointment on his scars, every single night.
“You don’t have to.”
“Oh shut up, Mako.” Despite his anger Wu was gentle as he rubbed it in. The flesh might have healed, but his nerve endings were all fucked up, and sometimes the tenderest touch could feel like someone was setting it on fire again. Wu knew it. He was always careful.
“I’m…today wasn’t a good day.” It was a shitty apology, and he shifted, knowing it wasn’t good enough.
“You know, you could just tell me that instead of shutting down and ignoring me.” Wu wouldn’t look at him, focusing on the arm, instead. “I hope I’m not so autocratic that I couldn’t empathize with a bad day.”
“You’re not. It’s just…I don’t know. Sometimes the effort to tell you that I’ve had a bad day is too much effort. I feel like I have to prove it, I guess.”
Wu was quiet for a moment, putting the lid back on the ointment and putting it back on his nightstand. He took up the arm, squinting at it critically, turning it to and fro to make sure he’d gotten it well covered. With a little sigh of his own he pressed a kiss to the edge of the scar, warping the skin over his knuckles. “Go to sleep, Mako. We’ll talk about it later.” He made his way around to his own side and slid in, snapping off the light and fussing with his pillows the way he always did, every night.
He reached over with his good hand, hoping that Wu would take it; after a moment his smaller hand, smooth and soft and pampered, slid into his.
Chapter 29: An Unwelcome Advancement: Wu Accepts A Ride Home
Summary:
Archived from a Tumblr prompt.
This directly precedes Chapters 23-25 in the Love Is In The Details collection.
Notes:
There is a trigger warning for sexual assault in this chapter.
Chapter Text
“Are you certain? I could easily get a cab.” Wu adjusted his hat in the entryway mirror, nodding his thanks as an attendant from the Opera House handed him his gloves.
“Not a problem. Besides, you’re practically on the way. I’ve just moved into those high rises looking over the bridge.” Reiji threw his silk scarf around his neck. “Such a shame Mako couldn’t make it tonight.” His smile was slow and lazy, something well-noted among the fashionable and unmarried set of Republic City.
“Work thing,” Wu replied tersely. He did not want to talk about Mako. Especially not about the fact that once again he’d failed to show up when he’d said he would.
Reiji tsked. “Such admirable work, though. Keeping Republic City safe for the rest of us upstanding citizens.”
“Mmmm.” He tugged his gloves on with more force than necessary.
“What about your little driver?”
“Ah, I gave Qi the night off tonight.” Because, of course, he’d thought that Mako would be joining him, as he’d promised he would. Well, more fool he. How many promises had Mako broken, how many commitments had he disregarded, all in the name of his job? “I’m afraid I’m quite alone tonight.”
“Who am I to turn down the pleasure of your company?” Reiji leaned over and brushed at a speck of something on his shoulder, letting his hand linger for a moment. “I never get you to myself.”
“Well, tonight’s your chance,” he replied, trying to put a smile back on his face while taking up his walking stick. “Shall we?”
Reiji had a just off the line pale blue Satomobile, something which he clearly wanted to show off. Wu smiled and murmured a few polite words about it. He had never cared one way or the other about cars; Qi would most likely be interested, but of course Qi wasn’t there. They had balked at not taking him this evening, had actually started to argue with him, something which they’d never done before. It surprised him, how vehement Qi had been. If he comes then I’ll just go home, they had said, keys clutched in their hand. It ain’t right that you should go by yourself. Who’s to look out for you? It’s my job! They had gotten so agitated that even LoLo had come out of the kitchen, putting his arm around Qi, trying to calm them down. It was so totally unlike them that he’d wavered, nearly letting them have their way. He’d finally put his foot down, however, wanting to give Mako the benefit of the doubt. Well, he’d apologize to Qi in the morning, let them know they were right and that he’d not do it again. Reiji was kind to give him a ride, but he wished nothing more than to be in the back of his own car where he could close his eyes in peace, knowing Qi would get him safely home. The guest soprano from Omashu had been, in his opinion, subpar, and the gala dinner had been both tasteless as well as overspiced, something which he’d yet to comprehend. He’d been nursing a headache for the past several hours and his bed was calling him. He just wanted to be done with the evening.
“…so which is it?” Reiji glanced over at him, the flash of a streetlamp quickly illuminating his face before sending it back into shadow again.
“I…I’m terribly sorry, I’m not quite focusing.” He offered an apologetic smile. “It’s been a long evening.”
“Are you trying to say I’m boring?” Reiji shot him a look, smirking.
“Not in the slightest,” he said automatically, putting out a placating hand. “I’m afraid I’m not the best company tonight.”
“Well, I guess I can find a way for you to make it up to me.” He grinned, and Wu made a noncommittal noise. Oh, what he wouldn’t give for Qi’s blessed silence in the car! As soon as he got home he’d ask LoLo for some willowbark tea, take a long shower, and go to bed. Things would be better in the morning. They were always better in the morning. Spirits of his ancestors but he was tired of asking Mako and hearing excuses, though. Every single time.
“So I was asking, which is it?”
“It?” He hauled his attention back to Reiji. Why hadn’t he taken a cab? He didn’t have any money on him, of course, but he had an account with the Prosperous Coin Cab Company for those times when anyone in the family needed one.
“Is your marriage on the rocks due to Mako having an affair or is it due to irreconcilable differences? Not that I can blame you, Mako’s always struck me as a bit of a cold fish.”
“I beg your pardon?” Well, if Reiji had wanted his attention he surely had it now.
“Oh come on, Wu. Everyone’s speculating. Give over.” Reiji grinned at him, and motioned at his mouth. “My lips are sealed.”
“My marriage is not on the rocks, thank you very much.” He could feel his face getting hotter. How dare he?
“Really?” He sat back, fingers tapping on the wheel. “So it’s an open thing, is it?” He shrugged. “Whatever gets you bending, I guess.” He brought the car to a halt as lights flashed overhead, warning of an incoming tram.
“An open thing?” Was the man insinuating that he and Mako…no. Absolutely not. “I have no idea how you have even begun to think-”
He was cut off as Reiji put a hand to the back of his head, knocking his hat askew and pulling him forcefully forward, smashing his mouth into his. He froze for just a moment, his brain trying to understand what was happening Is this me? Is this really happening to me? before he brought a hand up, trying to push at whatever part of Reiji’s anatomy he found first. Reiji just laughed into his mouth, however, and shoved his tongue in there. He tried to pull his head back, but was no match for Reiji’s strength. “Stop! Stop!” he spit out, trying to wrench himself away, pulling his head sharply to the left. “No!”
“Oh come on,” Reiji said, still laughing, bringing his other arm around to hold him still. “You’re a master at hard to get but are we going to do this all night?” He forced his mouth back on to his and Wu’s throat closed up with fear and revulsion. A part of him knew he was no physical match for Reiji; even as desperate as he was to get away he wasn’t going to be able to break free. Panic was digging its claws in but he had enough sense to understand that the more he struggled the more Reiji thought he was playing a game. What would Qi do? How would Qi get out of this?
He stopped struggling and let the man kiss him, fighting to stay calm. He couldn’t bring himself to kiss him back, but he let him shift into the kiss before gently breaking away from it, pulling his head back with a smile. Reiji started to return it and as he did, Wu drove his forehead as hard and fast as he could into his. Reiji let out with a howl and let go of him, putting a hand up to his forehead.
“What the fuck! What the fuck is wrong with you?” His fingers carefully felt for blood.
“I said no,” he hissed, and he fumbled the door open. “You loathsome bastard.” He slid out of the car, snatching up his walking stick as Reiji reached for him, nearly tripping over himself backwards in his haste. “Or is rape the only way you can manage your filthy little trysts?”
“You little shit.” Reiji’s voice had gone hard. “Cocktease.”
“Oh, believe me, if I had wanted to tease your cock you’d be in no doubt whatsoever that it was my intention.” He slammed the door as hard as he could manage. The utter audacity of the man! And now he’d resorted to vulgarity, like the common peasant he knew Reiji himself was. “I most certainly was doing nothing of the sort. I’m afraid your own self-aggrandizement has quite stupefied whatever infinitesimal wit you wield.”
“Is that so? Well, enjoy your own company on your walk home, then.” He gunned the motor, the tires squealing as he roared across the tracks, the oncoming tram’s bells clanging as the driver rang them furiously. The tram rushed by and Wu stood there, his chest heaving. He reached a shaking hand into his breast pocket, taking out his handkerchief and wiping at his mouth, over and over again. How dare he? How could he?
Fighting off nausea, he started to walk. He crossed the tracks, stick clutched to his chest, stumbling along on feet he couldn’t feel, his own breathing harsh in his ears. Never in all his life had anyone touched him like this, and he’d been kidnapped and stuffed into a bag of dirty laundry, for the love of Raava. He’d never had any mouth on his but Mako’s, and he’d never wanted anyone else’s, either. And now this vile upstart thought that he could just touch him at will? He dared? He actually dared? Through a gap in the high-rises he saw the flame from the Firelord’s statue at the Central Train Station but he kept moving, unable to think of anything but the feel of Reiji’s tongue in his mouth, a repulsive thing, gristle and muscle, shoving in where it wasn’t welcome.
He wasn’t sure how long he walked; long past the station, past where the streetlights were set precisely apart from each other, past the point where the streets were regularly cleaned. There were some people out and about that late, but he wasn’t registering them, his mind relentlessly circling over and over and around what had happened. It was only when someone grabbed his arm roughly, yanking him out of his fugue state, that he realized that he had been very foolish indeed.
“Yer money,” the man muttered, his grip tightening, the alcohol on his breath rotten and sweet through the blackened stumps of his teeth. “Now.”
“I don’t have any money,” he stammered, his heart racing. “I don’t carry-” A tug on his walking stick and it slid out of his arm and he felt the breeze of it swinging past him as it connected with a meaty thud on the head of the man holding him. The man stared into his eyes, looking politely puzzled, before sagging down to the pavement, sprawling gracelessly onto his face. Hand to his chest, he spun to see what looked like a teenage boy, hat pulled low over his eyes, shapeless in dark, ragged clothing. “I truly don’t carry any money. I give you my word! You can keep the stick, it would be worth something, please.”
The boy glanced up at him and then away, hunching his shoulders. “Shouldn’t be here. Ain’t safe. Why ain’tcha in your own place?”
“I…I had an altercation…er, I mean that someone attacked me. And I was walking and I…” He swallowed. “I…are you going to hurt me?” His voice was soft and high with fear. He couldn’t stop shaking.
“Ain’t gonna. But you can’t be here.” The boy looked around, nodded at a building across the street. “Come on, you go in there, you be safe enough. You got someone who can come getcha?”
“I don’t…would it be possible to get a taxicab?” He tried a smile and failed. “I have an account with the Prosperous Coin Cab Company. I…I’m Prince Wu Hou-Ting.” It occurred to him, as he said it, that it was probably a very bad idea to identify himself as one of the richest citizens in the city. “I am afraid I don’t even know where I am.”
“Know who you are. I’ll getcher cab. Come now.” The boy motioned him across the street and he followed, not knowing what else to do. He supposed this boy might be taking him somewhere even worse than this street but he clung to the hope that he truly meant him no harm. Oh, he was a fool, such a fool. What would Mako say to him? Mako would be so very furious with him and he quailed to think what Lin would say. How had this evening gone so wrong so fast? He was so afraid.
The place in question was clearly a bar. It was unlike anywhere else he’d been to in his life; a bit dark and shabby, full of noisy, rough people who were singing and shouting along with a man who was warbling a loud ditty about a fan dancer, laughing raucously. He garnered plenty of looks when he came in, some hostile and all of them curious. He tried very hard not to cringe.
“Sit. Don’t move.” The boy pushed him into a chair with surprising gentleness, going across to the bar and speaking to the woman behind it. She sent him a long, measuring look, and then nodded, waving over a girl who was wiping down some tables. The boy said something to the girl, and with a nod from the barkeep she walked back behind the bar, disappearing behind a curtain, the boy following her. The woman took up a glass and poured something into it before coming around the bar and walking over to him.
“So. Heard you had a night.” She handed him the glass.
“Oh, I do beg your pardon, but I have no money to pay for this.”
She waved that off. “Just as well. You had, it’d be gone by now. It’s on the house. My girl is callin’ you a cab. Yer safe enough in here, but just keep still and quiet, mind. I’ll keep an eye out but some of these folks get to drinkin’, they’ll come for you for no reason at all. The boy’s out watchin’ for your cab, he’ll come fetch you when it comes.” She gazed at him for a moment. “My girl here, she’s my cousin’s. Her Ma is dead and her Da’s no good. She learned how to read from your charity, yeah? Her basics, knows her numbers. Smart kid. I want that she earns her coin doing somethin’ else than getting it on her back. So you just consider that a thanks from me.” She gave him a sharp nod and then walked back to the bar.
He raised the glass and took a cautious sip; he had no idea what it was but it was rough and strong, making him gasp and sputter as it burned. He needed it, though, so with a deep breath he drank it all in two swift, deep swallows, nearly choking as it went down. “Good gracious,” he murmured, coughing into his handkerchief, tears welling. He caught the barkeep’s eye and she winked at him, sending a flashing grin his way. He returned it with a weak smile of his own, trying not to gag at the fire in his throat.
He was there for a while longer; he tried very hard to remain as inconspicuous as possible, being certain he didn’t make eye-contact. Qi had told him once that making eye-contact was a bad idea in the neighborhood they were from. He had no idea if this was Qi’s old neighborhood - he suspected not, this wasn’t a good neighborhood, per se, but there were still streetlights outside and the bar itself was at least clean and he had suspected, by the very rare things Qi said about their own background, that Qi came from much worse - but he figured it was better to do as Qi had said. He was actually beginning to pick up the chorus from the song about the fan dancer when the boy materialized in front of him.
“Ah. I take it my cab is here?”
The boy nodded with a quick jerk of his shoulder, eyes on the floor, and something in that nod teased at his memories, tried to get past the alcohol and shock to nag at his consciousness. “Do I…do I know you?”
The boy didn’t answer him, just pointed towards the door.
“I…yes. Well. Thank you.” He stood up, looking down at himself. He’d lost his hat at some point, although he still had his scarf and gloves. The boy still had a tight grip on his walking stick. “Yes.” He walked out of the bar, keeping his eyes averted, into the chill of the night beyond. The cab was right outside, the familiar gold coin logo glinting in the dim light overhead. He took a deep breath and reached for the door handle.
“Yer stick.” The boy stuck it out towards him. He merely smiled.
“No, you keep it. Please consider it a very grateful thank you. I appreciate all you have done for me tonight. I won’t forget it.” He cocked his head, trying to peer under the slouchy cap. “Are you sure I don’t know you?”
“Go on, get home.” The boy took the stick back into the cradle of his arms. Wu hovered for a moment - wasn’t there something more he could do for this boy? - but he gave it up. If the boy wanted to stay anonymous there was not much he could do about it. With a resigned nod, Wu slid inside the cab.
“Prince Wu, is it? In this neighborhood? Land o’mercy.” The driver, a bluff, florid man, turned around in his seat. “Took your majordomo to the shops just last week. You live across from Flowering Plum Park, right?”
“Yes, that’s right,” he said, and sat back with a sigh. His headache had worsened into what felt like wolfbats burrowing into his skull and he suspected he might be developing a bruise where he’d struck Reiji’s forehead with his own. He sincerely hoped he would not vomit in the backseat.
“Well, we’ll get you home quick as quick can.”
“You won’t mind if I’m quiet on the way, will you? I’ve had a very trying evening.” He gave the cabbie a tremulous smile, wiping at his mouth with his handkerchief again.
The man peered at him in the rearview mirror. “Gotcha loud and clear, Your Highness. Mum’s the word. You just relax back there and you’ll be home before you know it.”
He glanced outside the window at the boy, still standing there, his brown eyes meeting his for the briefest of moments before the boy spun away, disappearing into the night as the cabbie drove the car forward. He could have sworn he knew the boy from somewhere; it was no use, however. His brain simply wouldn’t cooperate. With another sigh he closed his eyes and reminded himself that he was safe now. He’d be home soon.
Chapter 30: An Endemic Walkabout: Mako Catches A Cold
Summary:
Archiving a prompt meme from Tumblr.
Wuko: Caring for each other while ill.
Chapter Text
“Why are you out of bed?”
“I’m fine.”
Wu looked Mako over. His nose was bright red, his cheeks were pale and he hadn’t shaved in two days. Never mind the black circles under his eyes and the fact that he sounded like a wolfbat had taken over his chest.
“That’s up for debate.”
“I don’t want to be in bed any more.”
“Mmmm. Well, I’d really rather you didn’t walk amongst us, shedding mucus like a snake sheds its skin.”
Mako stared at him blearily.
“You’re contagious, Mako. Go back to bed.”
“I’m fine. Just going to get some tea.” He coughed, a thick rasping noise. Then he sneezed, a sound loud enough to echo.
Wu stared at him and his lip curled up. “And there go the germs. I’ll bring you some tea. Go back to bed.”
“Don’t wanna. Wanna get my own tea.”
Wu sighed and stood up, putting his book down. “Mako, please don’t be balky. I know you dislike staying in bed. However, you will get better far more quickly if you do.”
“I don’t wanna be extra trouble.”
“Having you stay in bed for two weeks instead a few days because you point blank refuse to care for yourself properly is extra trouble, as it happens.”
Mako’s lower lip stuck out in a beautiful pout. “You’re picking on me.”
“Darling, I am not picking on you. I am sending you back to bed.”
“If you loved me you’d let me get my own tea.”
“Yes, you’ve figured it all out. I don’t love you at all. Now go back to bed.”
“You’re meeeeeeean.”
“And you’re whining. Come along now. Be a good boy and go back to bed and I’ll bring you some tea. If you are an especially good boy I’ll rub your chest with that liniment that Qi brought you.”
“Qi brought me liniment. Qi loves me.”
“Undoubtedly.”
“But I’m boooored.”
“Well, it can’t be helped. Do you want me to read to you?”
“I don’t like your books. I don’t care if Lord Farty-ass puts his tongue down Lady Fancy-pants’s throat.”
Wu took a deep breath and mentally counted to three. “I will read you one of your books, then. You may choose. Now come along, back to bed.”
“I want to sit down here.”
“Mako, so far I have kept the children healthy, and that is in large part due to keeping you secluded from them. Do you really want them to catch this from you?”
“No!”
Wu’s eyes narrowed and his mouth flattened into a thin line. “Then go back to bed.”
“Don’t yell at me! I’m sick! Why would you yell at me?” Mako looked like a small poodle monkey that had been kicked.
Wu pointed towards the stairs. “Bed.”
“But I -”
“Bed.”
“I want -”
“Bed.”
“You aren’t -”
“Bed.”
“You’re so mean. You aren’t the boss of me, you know.”
“My darling, I have been the boss of you since that day you first walked into my suite at the Four Elements. Everyone knows it. We only pretend otherwise to make you feel better. Now. You are going to walk back up those stairs. You are going to get back into bed, and I will bring you some tea and rub liniment into your chest and then I will read to you a bit until you fall asleep.”
“Until I fall asleep?”
“Yes. Until you fall asleep.”
“Okay. I hate sleeping alone in the bed. I hate it when you don’t sleep with me.”
“I know, darling. I don’t like it any more than you do. I miss you too but it can’t be helped. I really can’t afford to get ill at the moment. Now, go on up.”
Mako turned and dragged himself towards the stairs, shuffling his feet. “Wu?”
“Yes?”
“Can I have a mochi? One of the coconut ones?”
“If you are in bed by the time I come up with the tea then I will give you a mochi.”
“A coconut one?”
“A coconut one.”
“Okay.” Mako started to haul himself up the stairs, blasting out another sneeze as he went.
Wu sighed to himself and rolled his eyes. “Coconut mochi. What a baby.” He walked into the kitchen.
Chapter 31: A Sweet Remembrance: LoLo Talks To Norbu
Summary:
Archiving a prompt meme from Tumblr.
LoLo and Norbu: Cuddling in a blanket fort and Sharing a dessert.
Chapter Text
“Bu? You in there, sweetheart?”
A little head peeked out from between two of the blankets. “Hi, LoLo. I’m here.”
“Well, why the long face?”
Bu’s lower lip quivered. “Everybody went to the park to play, but Mommy says I can’t go today because I couldn’t breathe so good last night. And Meili’s taking a nap. I’m all by myself.”
“Meili had to take a nap, sweetheart, but I agree, it’s no fun that everyone else went to the park and left you alone. So what do you say, can I come in?”
Bu’s face brightened. “Sure! Come on in!”
LoLo lowered himself carefully to the floor, ignoring the furious protest from his knee. “This is quite a fine fort you’ve got here. How many chairs?”
“Eight whole chairs!”
“That’s a pretty big fort!” He slid himself inside to sit with his bad leg straight out in front of him, gritting his teeth a bit. “Whose idea was it to add the hole up there at the top?”
“Oh, San’s. He said we needed plenty of air and that we could also use it to watch for enemy spies.”
“Well, that’s San for you. Now, guess what I have?”
“A book?”
LoLo smiled. “No, not a book. Guess again.”
Bu screwed up his face, thinking hard. “A pillow?”
“Nope!”
“I don’t know, LoLo! Tell me!” Bu’s eyes were shining. “Is it a good surprise?”
“It sure is!” LoLo produced two slabs of plum cake from the pocket of his apron, wrapped in napkins. “Look at that! You like plum cake!”
“I like yours!” Bu took a little nibble off the edge. “LoLo, when you were little, did you like to build forts?”
“I did. We used to build grand ones. Although one time I remember we built one outside with my mother’s clean sheets that she’d left out on the line to dry and oh boy, we got in big trouble for that one.”
Bu giggled. “Was your Mommy real mad?”
“Oh, you better believe it. We got those sheets all muddy. She made us wash them all over again and we had to get out all the mud. That was the last time we did that, let me tell you.”
“Do you have brothers and sisters?”
“I'll say I do. I’m the oldest, and I have five brothers and three sisters, all of them living in the Fire Nation.”
“Wow! That’s a lot. Did you have a favorite brother or sister?”
LoLo reached across and smoothed Bu’s hair back. “I did, yes. My littlest brother, Juzaburo. We called him Juza for short. He was born when I was fourteen.”
“So he was lots younger than you. Is he still your favorite now? When was the last time you saw him?”
LoLo’s face stilled. “Ah. Well, I haven’t seen him in a long time. A very long time.”
“How come? Did you have a fight?”
“No. He...well, honey, he had to leave us. When he was only three. It happens sometimes. He...it’s a long story. A story for when you’re older, if you still want to hear it.”
Bu reached over and hugged LoLo. “You have such a sad face right now. Are you sad about it?”
“Yes, honey. I’m sad about it. I will probably always be sad about. He was a very special little boy and I still miss him. You remind me a lot of him.”
“I do?”
LoLo kissed the top of Bu’s head. “You sure do. He was sweet and funny and precious, just like you are.”
“Was your Mommy sad, when he had to go?”
“Oh honey, she was. She really was. My father, too. We were all sad. I was so sad I didn’t even want to live in my house any more, that’s why I went off and joined the Navy.”
“But LoLo, wasn’t your Mommy sad that you left, too?”
“Yes. She was. She was very sad. Now that I’m all grown up I wish I hadn’t done it.”
“Is she still sad?”
“That I left, you mean? No, I don’t think so, not any more. It was a long time ago.”
“Maybe someday I could meet your Mommy! Do you think she would like me?”
LoLo cuddled Bu into his arms, kissing him on both cheeks. “I know she would like you. Very very much. Almost as much as I do, I bet.”
“LoLo?”
“Yes, Bu?”
“I’m really glad we’re friends.”
LoLo held the child close. “Me too, sweetheart. Me too.”
Chapter 32: An Unveiled Threat: Mako Gives A Warning
Summary:
Archived from a Tumblr prompt. This follows directly from Chapter 4 of Bouncing Off Clouds.
Mako gives Wei a warning about Qi.
Chapter Text
The ringing at the door surprised Wei. He’d ordered take-out from Chin’s, but it’d only been about twenty minutes and he thought for sure he’d have time for a quick shower before they arrived. He belted on his robe, leaving his wet hair uncombed, and opened the door. “Hey, you’re…oh. Uh, hi?”
Mako was standing there, glaring down at him. Without waiting to be invited in, he shoved past into the flat. “You and I need to have a little chat.”
“Oh sure, just come right on in why don’t you?” The man was not looking happy. To be fair, he had one of those faces that always looked pissed off about something, but right now he looked actively pissed off instead of his usual just mildly pissed off. He was a Beifong, and a damn good bender, but he tried to avoid being on Mako’s bad side. He’d seen Mako in action and he was not a man to fuck around with.
“I’ve got a few things to say to you.” Mako stood there in the middle of his living room, looking like murder had come to call. For the life of him he couldn’t think what the fuck he’d done to him! Had he somehow upset Wu? Mako was real touchy when it came to Wu. He might have irritated his Aunt Lin but she would have come for his ass herself. She didn’t need Mako to do it for her as he damn well knew from painful experience.
“You want to take off your shoes…” Mako’s glare intensified. “Okay, or maybe not.” He shut the door and raised his hands in surrender. “Look, I’m not sure what I did-”
“I’m here to discuss Qi.”
He blinked at that. Qi? Had he pissed off Qi? He couldn’t imagine Qi would have told Mako about it; for one thing Qi wasn’t much for expecting others to take care of their business, never mind actually talking about it. For another, he’d gotten the distinct impression that Qi was more than a little intimidated by Mako. Who wasn’t, right? In Qi’s case, however, they mostly avoided Mako as much as possible.
“Uh…okay?”
Mako pointed his finger at him. “Listen, I don’t give a fuck where you dip your wick, but you leave off of Qi.”
“I…what? What are you talking about?”
“Don’t try that innocent bullshit with me, Beifong!” Mako stepped forward then.
“I swear! I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Oh fuck, the man was coming straight at him. Before he had the sense to get out of the way Mako grabbed the lapels of his robe and slammed him up against the sliding glass door to his balcony. “What the fuck!” His voice rose and cracked as his feet lost contact with the floor. “Mako!”
Mako thumped him up against the glass and he grunted as his head smacked with a painful thud. “I’m not fucking around.”
“Yeah! I get that! Fuck!” He tried to wriggle out of his grasp but Mako had a good grip on him and he wasn’t about to poke the sleeping armadillo bear by bending his way out. “I swear I don’t know what you mean. I swear it on my mother’s honor!”
Those orange eyes were boring into his. “I am talking about you fucking Qi.”
“What?” He sagged in surprise. Is that what this was about? “Mako, no. No, listen, it’s not like that-”
“I know what you get up to. And I don’t give a shit if you want to treat the rest of the male population of Republic City like easily fucked garbage, but I’m not having you treat Qi like that.” He slammed his head into the glass again. “You hear me?”
“Mako! I haven’t fucked Qi! It’s not like that!” His toes scrabbled for purchase. “I swear! On whatever you want!”
“Then how do you explain all the times you were sneaking up to Qi’s flat?”
“I wasn’t sneaking! I just visit there. Sorry I didn’t get your fucking permission first to step foot on your property!”
“What are you up to, then?”
“We talk! Have a smoke! Just hang out! I like Qi, but come on, Mako, it’s not like they’re my type!” Mako held him there for a few moments longer before stepping back and letting go of his robe. “What the actual fuck, Mako! You don’t just come into a man’s home and start trying to throw him out the window!”
“If I had wanted to throw you out the window you’d already be flying.” No fucking doubt there.
“I’m not in a romantic relationship with Qi.”
Mako scoffed. “You’ve never been in a romantic relationship with anyone. We all know you’re a fuck ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy.”
That hurt him, although he tried not to let it show. Something in his face must have given him away, though, because Mako sighed and propped a hand up on his hip, briefly closing his eyes. He felt along the back of his head for any bumps. “You’re a mean bastard, aren’t you?”
Mako just shrugged at that, but he stepped away from the window. He didn’t bother to deny it.
He crossed his arms over his chest. “For the record, I’m not anything but Qi’s friend. I don’t want to fuck them, and I’m pretty sure they don’t want to fuck me.” Point of fact, he was pretty sure Qi was desperately in love with Wu, but he wasn’t going to betray their trust in him by telling anyone. No matter what Mako thought of him.
“You expect me to believe that.” A single eyebrow rose up at that, and he wanted nothing more to punch him in the face.
“You know what? I don’t give a fuck what you believe. Is it that shocking that either Qi or I could want a friend?” His lip curled up in a sneer. “Or is it that you don’t consider either one of us human that way? I mean, what could I possibly want out of someone if I wasn’t going to fuck them, right? Good old Wei Beifong. There’s nothing more to him than bending and fucking.” He could feel the tears starting and he wiped at them angrily. The last thing he wanted to do was cry in front of him.
Mako pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Look, it’s just that Qi’s under my protection.”
He couldn’t help himself; his mouth dropped open. “Are you fucking kidding me? Have you seen what they can do with a knife?” Did Mako actually think Qi was defenseless?
Mako waved that off. “Qi could cut your throat before you even knew they were there. I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about how vulnerable Qi is.” He sighed again. “Look, I get that Qi wants to be self-sufficient. I don’t doubt they can physically defend themselves.” A snort. “I would not fuck with that kid.” He met Wei’s eyes. “I’m not talking about that. Qi’s street smart, yeah. But they don’t know shit about relationships or love. And to be frank, I don’t want you to be the one to teach them.”
He felt like he’d been slapped. “Fuck you!” Mako just shrugged at that and said nothing. “I’m not…I don’t give a shit what you think about me” and that was a lie, but never mind in the moment “but don’t come into my home and accuse me of shit I haven’t done. I haven’t fucked Qi, I am never going to fuck Qi, and if we’re friends it’s none of your fucking business.”
Mako grimaced. “Yeah, that’s what Wu said.” He crossed his arms. “Look, I like you-”
“You do?”
That actually got him a bit of a smile. “Yeah, you’re okay. But here’s the deal. I don’t know all of Qi’s background.” He frowned at this. “But I know what living on the streets is like. It makes you hard, yeah. You learn how to fight, how to survive. What you don’t learn, however, is trust. Or love.” He looked past him, out to the view from his balcony. “I just don’t want Qi to get hurt that way, okay? They’ve been hurt enough.”
He stared at Mako. This, of all things, was not what he expected. “Uh, okay.” Was Mako actually admitting he cared?
“Just…be a good friend. Don’t fuck them over. And don’t fuck them, either, because if you do I will come for you. You got me?”
“Spirits, Mako!”
His eyes narrowed. “I said, you got me?”
“Yes! Fuck’s sake! I got you, I got you!”
“You better.” Mako looked like he was going to say more, but the doorbell rang again.
“That’s my dinner, I think.”
Mako grunted, and pointed. “Go put some pants on. I’ll get the door.”
By the time he’d thrown on a pair of pants Mako had paid the delivery guy and set the food on his table, sniffing at one of the cartons suspiciously.
“What do I owe you?” Mako just waved that off.
“Don’t you ever cook? You don’t have anything but tea and booze over here.”
“What, do you think my mother taught me how to cook? Not really her thing.”
“I bet not.” He poked at one of the cartons and then shrugged. “You really want to eat this?”
“What, you don’t like Chin’s?”
“Sure I do. But LoLo’s making gingered picken tonight.”
“Oh.” His stomach choose that moment to rumble loudly. “Huh.”
Mako shook his head. “Go finished getting dressed. I’ll put these in your icebox.” At his look he scowled. “What, you don’t want gingered picken?”
“Well yeah I want it!”
“You might want to put the rest of your clothes on, then. And comb your hair while you’re at it.”
“Who are you, my mother?”
“You’re a real mama’s boy, you know that?” Mako smirked. “Go get dressed.”
“Yeah, tell me something I don’t already know,” he shot back, but he was smiling as he went to go find a shirt.
Chapter 33: A Drenched Impertinence: Bob Scares Wu
Summary:
That fucking Bob.
Notes:
Based on a mention in You Take The Bitter With The Sweet. Requested by MizK!
Chapter Text
He'd just finished giving Cork instructions to start disjointing the dinner pickens when Lin came through the back door, dark smudges under her eyes, looking as weary as he'd ever seen her. She wasn't going to make it to her retirement next month if she didn't start taking better care of herself. She'd only had tea for breakfast; if he knew the woman then he'd lay yuan she hadn't managed anything else for the rest of the day, either.
"Stole the silver yet?" she threw Cork's way, but the boy just gave her a grin, cleaver slamming down with enthusiasm. There wasn't much you could do to Cork that he wouldn't manage without a smile and more than a little cheek; Qi could take take a few notes. Ah, his poor, furious little Qi. What was he going to do with them?
"Well now, old girl, you look like you've been run over by a train." That got him a sour look, although she didn't deny it. "Why don't you take a seat and let me get you something."
"I can get it myself, you know." She crouched down to greet Meili, happily banging two wooden spoons together in the little pen he'd set up to keep her from underfoot. "Making a lot of noise, I see." Meili beamed at her and babbled happily, stretching her arms up to be held. Lin Beifong, who liked to think of herself as the most hardened bitch in Republic City, reached in and picked her up, her face gentling like it always did around the baby. That was Meili's gift. Even former President Raiko had cooed at her, and that man was as foul as they came. "So what have you been up to today, hmm? Anything useful? Or just sitting around looking cute?" Baby-talk, Lin Beifong style.
"She's gettin' to runnin' around right fast, Boss Lady." He noted that Cork was still paying attention to what he was doing. Good thing: he'd hate for the boy to take a finger off. "That's why Mr. LoLo had to put her in there."
Lin shot him a scowl over the Boss Lady, but merely grunted before sitting down at the table, Meili perched on her lap. "Where's everyone?"
He put a tea cup in front of her before grabbing a bowl, ladling up some of the dumpling soup they'd had for lunch. "Qi's off getting Naoki from school, took Zhi along. His Nibs is upstairs, I think." He gave the baby a piece of hardtack before giving Lin her soup; she'd try to stick her fingers into it otherwise. The girl did like to play with anything liquid. Waterbender, or he'd chew off of his own foot. "Speaking of, why are you home early? Not that I mind." He swung in to kiss her cheek, deftly avoiding her retaliatory smack in return. Cork's grin broadened.
"Song kicked me out. Told me that he had things in hand and that I should go home and get some sleep." She sniffed, taking up her spoon. "Guess I'm just a fucking nuisance nowadays."
He wiped his hands off on a towel and threw it over one shoulder. "Well, the nerve of the man. Not wanting you to spend twenty hours a day down there, making it look like you don't trust in his leadership when he's taking over for you."
"Hmph." Now he got the full force of that scowl. Formidable, but all it did was make him want to take her right back to the bedroom, dinner be damned. "Whose side are you on anyhow?"
"Oh, I think you-" A terrified scream burst through the house, shrill and piercing, trailing off ominously. Lin was up in less than a heartbeat, spoon clattering to the table. Without a word, she thrust the baby at him, practically flying out of the kitchen, her face grim. "Shit."
"Hey, was that Yer Highness?" Cork's eyes were wide, his fingers finally still. "Is he..."
"I don't know, but I want you to come on over here next to me, Cork." He gestured him over with his free hand, holding Meili close. She was still gnawing on the hardtack. "We'll let Lin handle it."
"That was a bad scream, Mr. LoLo." Cork swallowed, getting as close to him as he possibly could, cleaver still in his hand. He put a hand on his shoulder.
"Put that down, son, and take the baby for me."
"Yessir." Cork took Meili as he took a stance, arms and legs ready, despite his knee's scream of protest. He might not be much of a firebender, but he wouldn't let anyone near the baby.
"Vaatu's pus-filled withered dick! Bob, you greasy little shitstain, get the fuck out of here before I send your crusty orange asshole back to the spirit world where it belongs!"
Pus-filled withered dick, Cork mouthed, grinning despite himself.
"Ah, she's cussing. That means all is well." He shook his head, chuckling a little.
"Yeah?"
"Oh yeah." He strained to hear what was going on upstairs; he could hear Wu's indignant voice and the low murmur of Lin's response before silence and then the sound of her heavy footsteps coming down the stairs. She was an agile woman, Lin Beifong; could move as fast as lightning but every time her foot landed it sounded like the earth was shuddering. Earthbenders. Back into the kitchen she strode, smoke practically coming out of her ears.
"That fucking asshole Bob."
"Is Wu okay?"
"Oh, he's fine. Just got startled, although I guess we should all be grateful that if someone ever does actually try to kill him again his lungs still work." Her grunt turned into a guffaw.
"You mean Bob that lives in the backyard?" Cork was still holding on to Meili, who was chewing away, big blue eyes unconcerned with all the kerfuffle.
"Yes, the little fucker. Apparently he snuck in there when Wu was in the shower, waited until he was coming out to whistle at him." She massaged at her forehead, taking in a deep breath. "Damn near scared the shit out of the man, and I mean that literally. By the time I got up there he was buck naked, dripping wet, holding Bob off with his hairbrush." She cringed down, gesturing with an imaginary hairbrush, her voice going higher, complete with a plummy accent. "I will thank you to vacate my private bathroom, you devious ingrate!" She dropped down back down into a chair, shaking her head, scoffing. "Fuck me, talk about awkward. I'm too old for this shit. I need a drink." She whipped around to point a finger at Cork. "Breathe a word of this to anyone and I'll have your guts for garters."
"No ma'am!" Cork was grinning, though, handing Meili to her as she held out her arms.
"Your father screams like a hog monkey in heat." She tweaked Meili's nose. "Damn near gave me a fucking heart attack. I could kill him. After I kill Bob, that is." She turned her head towards the windows overlooking the garden and raised her voice. "You stay the hell out of his bedroom, Bob! I know you can hear me! Don't make me have to call the Avatar, because you know I will!"
He handed her the tot of whiskey he'd poured her, laughing. "All those years serving on a naval cruiser and it was nothing compared to the shenanigans that go on in this house on a daily basis."
"This fucking house," she said, and swallowed the whiskey in two gulps. "That fucking Bob." She grunted. "That fucking Wu," she sniffed, but kissed the baby's cheek to show she didn't mean it.
Chapter 34: A Sodden Runaway: Rohan Makes His Way Across The Bay
Summary:
Archiving a prompt meme from Tumblr.
Rohan and Qi: Reacting to the other one crying about something.
Chapter Text
Qi paused at the bottom of the steps leading up to Qi’s flat above the garage, listening intently. Hard to gauge over the rain pounding down outside, but Qi was fairly sure Qi’d heard something in there. Qi eased in the door, nearly soundlessly, Qi’s hand sliding the knife down from the sheath on Qi’s opposite wrist.
It was sobbing. Someone was crying, and trying to stifle it. Qi pushed the knife back up until it clicked into place. Qi moved silently in the dimness of the unlit garage, easing around Mako’s car to see a huddled shape curled up in on itself, arms wrapped around its knees. Qi instantly recognized the airbending wingsuit.
“It’s pretty cold in here. You wet?”
The figure startled and jerked, turning up a tear-stained face. It was Rohan, the youngest of the kids over on the Island.
“I...uh...” Rohan scrubbed at his face with his sleeves. “I wasn’t stealing anything.”
That got a little smile out of Qi. “I know you weren’t. You wet?”
Rohan blinked and tried to collect himself. His voice wobbled. “Um. A little bit, I think.”
“You think, huh? Come on.” Qi motioned with one hand.
“Where are we going?” Rohan stood up, already gangly tall at the age of thirteen, standing eye to eye with Qi.
“Upstairs. You need a towel. Mebbe some tea. Come on.” Qi turned around and headed back out the door, climbing up the covered steps to the flat above the garage. Rohan trailed after, still sniffling. Qi toggled the lights as they came in, directing Rohan straight into the bathroom. “Take off them wet things, dry off with a towel. You can put on my robe. Don’t think it's to your style but I’ll fetch you somethin’ of LoLo’s later. Least it will be dry.”
Qi left him alone and Rohan shivered out of his wet wingsuit, trying to scrub some warmth into himself with the towel. Qi’s robe was aqua silk, patterned with birds and flowers in rainbow colors. It wasn’t anything like Qi’s usual uniform, plain and severe in dark gray and Rohan wasn’t sure what to make of it. By the time he came back out into Qi’s living room there was tea steeping. His stomach growled.
“Ain’t got much up here to eat, no need to, I always just go into the kitchen. You drink some tea, tell me what this is all about, then I’ll take you to LoLo, let him feed you. Your folks know where you at?”
Rohan shook his head miserably.
“Your Mama, she’s probably worried where you are.” Qi poured the tea into a beautiful cup, nodding Rohan towards the sofa before handing it over. “How’d you get over here anyhow?”
“Hid on the ferry,” said Rohan. He drank some of the tea, scalding his mouth a little. “I didn’t have any money to pay them. I don’t...I don’t have any money.”
“Well, you don’t fret about that. You can always pay ‘em back later.” Qi sat next to him, cradling a matching tea cup. “So. Why’d you run? You been in my garage all day?”
Rohan shook his head. “I walked around town for awhile, but I didn’t have any money and it started to rain and I was cold. I didn’t know where else to go. I asked someone where the park was, I remembered you lived across from Flowering Plum Park. They gave me directions and I started walking.”
“You walk across the bridge from town and everythin’? In the rain?”
Rohan nodded and drank some more tea.
Qi sighed. “Well next time, you get stuck, you call here, I’ll come get you. Okay? You just tell the operator you need to be callin’ Prince Wu, they’ll get it to us. You call me and I’ll come get you, no questions asked. That city, it ain’t all a safe place to be. I know you’re a good bender, but even still. It ain’t a good idea.”
Rohan’s eyes filled up again. “People were yelling things at me. Mean things.”
Qi grimaced. “Yeah, some people are real assholes. Well, you never mind all that. You’re safe now, okay?” Rohan started to sob again and Qi put a hand to his back, rubbing in soothing circles. “You had a bad day, no mistake. You have a fight with your Daddy or somethin’?”
Rohan’s eyes widened through the tears. “How did you know that?” he hiccuped.
Qi smiled, just a little. “Lucky guess. You want to talk about it? Get it off yer chest?”
“He’s not fair! By the time he was my age Meelo had been off by himself, had fought off the Colossus. He’d done all of these things and they don’t hardly ever let me off the Island, even!”
Qi nodded. “You don’t sound none too happy about that.”
“I want to do something! I never get to leave! And Jinora’s always too busy and Ikki left,” this got another sob, “and Meelo and Dad fought and fought until Uncle Bumi took him away to the Southern Air Temple. I train and I train every day and that’s it. There’s no one to talk to and nothing to do but meditate. Dad says that my goal is to be the best airbender I can be, but I don’t know why he cares. He’s too busy with all the other airbenders. The new airbenders, I mean. He doesn’t have any time for me anyhow.” Rohan raised his forearms to scrub at his eyes but realized at the very last second that he had on Qi’s robe. Qi handed him over a handkerchief. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to yell.”
“Your yellin’ don’t hurt me none. Sometimes it’s best to get it all out.”
“It’s just...I’m not a baby. I want to do something.”
“Like what?”
Rohan looked taken aback. “I..I don’t know. Something.”
Qi stared at Rohan for a long moment. “Mebbe you can come over here some. I’ll talk to Mako ‘bout it. I know he’ll agree. He can talk to your folks, they don’t know me.”
“I could come over here?”
“Visit a little. Give you a change of scenery. It’s not adventure, but it’s somethin’, at least.”
Rohan’s face brightened. “Maybe I could even stay over?”
Qi winked. “We gotta guest room and everythin’.” Qi stood up and collected Rohan’s tea cup. “You go on now, give your face a good wash. Hang up that wet suit of yours if you haven’t done it already. I’ll sneak you in the back so’s you can put on somethin’ of LoLo’s before the Butterfly catches you in that and teases you ‘bout it. LoLo was makin’ buns this afternoon, I bet they’re ready.”
Rohan stood fidgeting for a moment. “Thank you, Qi.”
“For what?”
“Being so nice to me. For not making fun.”
“Thirteen ain’t an easy thing to be. I remember. You’re a nice kid, Rohan. A nice kid who had a bad day. It happens. Now go on, wash that face and we’ll get LoLo to feed you up.”
“Okay!” Rohan dashed back into the bathroom. Qi took both cups into the kitchen and rinsed them, humming a little under Qi’s breath.
Chapter 35: An Emergence From Grief: Offering Natsiq A New Beginning
Summary:
Endings and new beginnings.
Notes:
This one is for aggressivelycalm, with my thanks and true affection. You wanted to see more about Wu's street rats; here they are.
Chapter Text
They'd all showed up for Ine's memorial service; Spring coming from University, Jin-Jin taking a day off from his new job as a doorman at the Four Elements Hotel, Cork looking clean and tidy and much better fed, now that he was working in the kitchen under LoLo, and her, of course. No sign of Zip, but none of them had seen Zip in a long time. Not that Zip had originally been part of their group; he'd only shown up when they started hanging around the park in front of Yer Highness's house. He was there for Qi, no mistake. If anybody knew where he was it would be Qi, but nobody got anything out of Qi that they didn't want to give. Not even Yer Highness, she suspected, and anybody with eyes in their head knew how much Qi worshiped him.
Yer Highness and his whole family were there, of course. He was paying to have Ine buried in the nicest memorial garden in town. Oh, Ine would have loved it; she always did dream of being a mover star, wearing fancy clothes and getting her pictures in the paper and being here, among all the rich and famous people would have tickled her pink. Yer Highness was all in mourning white, eyes red and swollen from all the crying he was doing, even though he kept trying to hide it in fancy hankies. He was grieving Ine, it was clear to see. She didn't care what anybody said about Yer Highness, that he was a rich playboy or disgraced royalty, or whatever the newspapers liked to print sometimes. He was the best man she'd ever met.
Princess Naoki saw her watching them and gave her a little wave, and she returned it. The princess was getting to be quite the firebender now from everything she'd heard. She remembered when the then baby princess had burnt up Spring's jumping rope, the same day she'd accidentally bent the turtleducks out of the pond trying to put the flames out, right onto Mister Mako. She smiled a little at the memory, quickly wiping it off her face as she remembered where she was. Not fast enough for Qi not to notice; rather than their usual scowl they just gave her a little half smile back, though. Imagine that! Qi hardly ever smiled at nobody!
When the service was over Yer Highness came over to talk to them, asking Spring about her studies (she knew he was paying for them, just like he was paying for her boarding school, Spring had told her) and smiling when Jin-Jin bragged about how well he was doing at his job. He saw Cork every day, of course, but it had been a few months since she had seen him. He turned to her and took her hands into his, smiling despite the tears that were still in his eyes.
"And my darling Natsiq! Now remind me, dearest, how old are you again?"
"I'm sixteen now, Yer Highness." She smiled back at him.
"Gracious!" he replied, and then laughed a little. "I can hardly believe it." He gestured with his chin. "Naoki is nine now, so I suppose I shouldn't be so surprised. Time really does fly."
"I hear tell she's getting to be a real good firebender."
Yer Highness laughed outright at that. "Well, she certainly is something." He looked at the princess with such love that she had to swallow past her own jealousy. For certain her own father had never looked at her that way. He turned back to her. "I wanted to speak with you about something, Natsiq. Walk with me?" He offered her his arm and she took it, feeling like quite the lady. Yer Highness had a way about him, he could make even the dirtiest, downtrodden, unhappy person in the world feel like a queen. Not just anybody had that talent that but Yer Highness had it in spades. He slowly escorted her down the main pathway, squinting a little into the distance.
"Is...is everything okay, Yer Highness?" He was quiet for him, and it worried her a bit.
He just patted her arm, however. "I have been thinking, Natsiq, about what I can do for you."
"Do for me?" She frowned. "Yer Highness don't need to do nothing more for me. Got me into school, didn't you? It's a good school, Yer Highness. I'm grateful, I am." She was, too.
He patted her arm again, his smile distracted. "Yes, I suppose. Although I understand that you don't wish to attend university like Spring does, correct?"
"Well...I don't think it's really my thing, Yer Highness."
"It isn't for everyone, of course." They ambled on a bit before he stopped and looked down at her. "Cork tells me you used to speak of being a healer."
She scoffed. "Oh, Yer Highness, that ain't for the likes of me."
He tilted his head. "And why is that?"
She gestured about her. "Healers, they're educated people. And I can read and write now thanks to you, Yer Highness, but I'm just some slum kid. Healers, they train most of their lives. And you know I'm mostly self-taught with my bending." Her father, while a waterbender, had taken up with the Red Monsoons when she was just a wee little sprog after her mother had died and had been jailed some years back. She'd visited him once but hadn't returned. It was better that way.
"Well, Mako was self-taught as well and that certainly never stopped him." His face lit up. "Ah, just the person I was waiting for."
A woman was walking down the path towards them; Southern Water Tribe, based on her tribal tattoos. She had chin-length hair, beaded into two sections in front, forgoing Republic City fashion to wear traditional dress. It was only as she approached them, giving a friendly wave, that Natsiq realized it was the Avatar. She'd seen her at some of Yer Highness's events, in newspaper photographs as well. Awestruck, she found herself staring and closed her mouth with a faint snap.
"Korra, hello." Yer Highness attempted a smile at her, but the Avatar frowned a little and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Rough one?" The Avatar was sympathetic. "Mako said it was one of your original kids."
"Ine, yes." Yer Highness's eyes started to fill up again. "I do beg your pardon." He fished out another hankie.
The Avatar sighed. "I'm sorry, Wu. It was good of you to do this for her, though." She pulled him into a quick hug, something which seemed to surprise the both of them, as she pulled away and cleared her throat while he blew his nose into his hankie, refusing to look at her. The Avatar turned towards her. "So, this is Natsiq, hmm?" She bowed. "I'm Korra."
She returned the bow, speechless, feeling her face heating up. The Avatar just winked at her though, her grin so friendly that she found herself smiling in return. "My honor," she managed, and the Avatar's grin broadened.
"A little spirit told me that you might be interested in healing?"
She shook her head forcefully. "I'm not good enough for that! I don't even have real waterbending training or anything, just what I've managed to learn on my own."
The Avatar shrugged this off. "You know that Katara, the greatest waterbender of her generation, learned by doing and by reading a bunch of scrolls, right? Sometimes it's not all about formal training."
"Yes, but..." she trailed off as the Avatar's gaze sharpened.
"Why healing? There are plenty of other things waterbenders can do. I got the basics in healing, of course, that's standard down south for any waterbending kid, not just the Avatar. But why are you interested in healing?"
"Me?"
Yer Highness reached over and squeezed her hand encouragingly. "Of course you, darling."
"No pressure or anything," the Avatar joked, before gesturing at a nearby bench. "Seriously, just a question, no wrong or right answer. Take your time." She sat down and patted the seat next to her, rolling her eyes at Yer Highness. "Oh just take a seat, Wu, it's not like your suit won't get cleaned anyhow."
Yer Highness made a cranky noise at her and sat down gingerly, but not before dusting off the bench with another hankie. "Honestly, Korra."
The Avatar ignored him to lean back, watching her as she sat down. "You know," she started, crossing her ankle over her knee, "very few of us are destined at birth to do one thing or the other. Present company excluded, of course. I mean, I was born the Avatar, no getting around that, just like Wu was born a prince." Yer Highness just sniffed at that. "But we're the exceptions. Most people have the freedom to be and do whatever they want to. If you want to be a healer then there's no reason you shouldn't. I was just wondering why."
"I want to help," she said, taking a deep breath. "It's ugly out there. You know most people can't afford to go to healers, right?"
Yer Highness sighed. "I do know," he said, voice quiet. The Avatar just motioned for her to continue.
"My mother, she died giving birth to my brother. He died too. There wasn't nobody around to help her, just a neighbor who didn't know what to do. My Da's a waterbender but he never learned any healing either." She met Yer Highness's eyes and he smiled at her, nodding his encouragement. "I want to help people and I don't mean rich ones. I mean ones who come from where I do. It's not fair, people like me, we die and die and die and nobody cares, neither. If I was a healer, I could do something about it."
The Avatar was grave. "You'd be at it awhile. You'd need to catch up on the basics of waterbending before you could start seriously studying healing, so we're talking at the very minimum five years, and that's probably not very realistic of me. Not to mention you're a Republic City girl and fair or not, there are going to be some who have a problem with that." A grimace. "Not that Kya doesn't come down on that, being a Republic City girl herself."
She glanced at Yer Highness before back to the Avatar. "I don't understand."
Yer Highness smiled. "Korra and I have discussed it, and she'd be willing to take you down south. To study."
"To...study?"
The Avatar shifted in her seat. "If being a healer is really what you want, and you're willing to put in what you need to study, then yes. There's a school there that was founded by Katara, her daughter Kya runs it now, along with her assistant, Iskani. If you want it, there's a place there for you."
"For me?" She was bewildered, staring at her hands. They meant to send her to study healing? Her? Yer Highness leaned across Korra to take her hands in both of his.
"If it is what you truly want, Natsiq. I think you would make a wonderful healer, but it needs to be what you want, not me." He put a hand to her cheek, cupping it gently. "I will sponsor you, darling. You needn't worry about any of that. And perhaps someday you'll come back to us up here, as a healer."
She stared at him, and a tear tracked its slow way down her cheek. "You mean it, Yer Highness. Really and truly?"
He took back a hand to solemnly drag a finger across his chest. "Cross my heart and hope to die, Natsiq. My word of honor. I will sponsor you for as long as it takes, regardless of what you decide to do with your education or where you decide to go."
The Avatar was smiling at her as well. "I've got to head back down south next week and I can take you with me. I know it's pretty short notice, so if you aren't ready then no worries. We can always ship you down later."
She gulped in an unsteady breath and automatically took the clean hankie Yer Highness handed her. "I don't have nobody to worry about where I'm going. I'd just have to tell my school I'm leaving-"
"That part can be handled." Yer Highness waved it off. "You leave that up to me." He gave her cheek a soft pat and then sat back. "You'll need to let me know what she needs in terms of supplies, Korra. I expect she will find most of what she needs to wear down there but I can't just send her without something warm."
"No, she's not acclimated, she'll freeze, despite her bending." The Avatar nodded. "It'd probably be best for me to take her myself, get her the basics before we go." She rolled her eyes. "Shopping, ugh." She winked, however, to show she was teasing.
"Yes well, do that and charge it to me." Yer Highness tapped at his mouth, considering. "She'll need to have an allowance as well, of course, but I have no idea what's appropriate."
The Avatar snorted at that. "No big surprise there. Listen, why don't I just discuss it with Mako and he can deal with that part of it?"
Yer Highness smiled at her. "Yes, that's a far better idea." He pursed up his mouth. "Qi can take me to the school tomorrow, I'll make the arrangements with the headmistress and we can bring your things back with us, you can stay at the house until you leave."
She could feel her eyes widening. "Stay...stay in your house, Yer Highness?"
"We do have a guest room, after all." His eyes were twinkling at her. "And none of us bite."
"I don't know about that, Meili took a chomp out of me the other day." The Avatar held up a finger as proof.
"It's your own fault for playing circus animals with her, Korra, my gracious. It's all fun and games until you leave and I have to try and get her to nap." He leaned across the Avatar to briskly pat her knee. "I know it does seem rushed but I thought it might be a little easier if Korra were to introduce you around instead of having you go down on your own."
The Avatar nodded. "I'll radio down there, let them know you're coming for sure. They've got a dormitory for the students who need it but space is kind of tight. We'll worry about that when we get there, though. I already spoke to my mother, she says you can stay with them as long as necessary." She put an arm around her. "And now we're overwhelming you, sorry. I just want to make sure you know that no one's going to abandon you down there or anything." She nodded, not really knowing what else to say. It was all so much to take in, the very idea that her life was going to change that way. The Avatar stood up. "Well, listen, I'll let the two of you get back. Natsiq, how about I come for you the day after tomorrow? We can go and get you those basics, make sure you're ready to go." She stood up and held out a hand for Yer Highness, pulling him up. "I'm sorry again, Wu," she said, very quietly. "You do your best for all of them."
"It's not nearly enough," he said, meeting her eyes.
"No, it never is." They stood there for a moment, looking at each other, before the Avatar patted his shoulder again and then turned to walk away. "I'll see you, then," she said with another wave, and then she was gone.
"Well now, come along, darling. They'll be wondering if we've gotten lost or something." Yer Highness held his arm out and she took it again as they began to make their way back.
"She would have loved this, you know. Ine, I mean. It's so pretty and quiet here."
"Ah," he said, his voice trembling. "I do hope so."
"It's not your fault, Yer Highness, that she died. Ine, she made her choices. They weren't good ones, but it wasn't because of you."
"That's what Qi said as well," he replied, with a funny little smile. "Ah, speaking of, there they are, come to fetch me." Qi was strolling down the path towards them, hands in their pockets, with that look on their face that hid whatever they were feeling. "It was Qi that suggested we might send you down south to study, you know."
She was so surprised by that she stopped in her tracks. "Qi did?"
"Qi what?" They were suddenly there, speaking in that awful, hoarse voice.
"I was telling her that you were the one who suggested she might like to study down south when Cork mentioned she'd always dreamed of being a healer." Yer Highness smiled at Qi and, to her shock, Qi actually smiled back, wide enough to show teeth, even. She'd never actually seen them smile like that before. It was a nice smile; it made them look far less intimidating, more approachable and younger.
"Yeah well, reckon you'd be a good healer." Qi jerked their chin at her. "You was always tryin' to fix a body's hurts, even when you was a little one."
"I didn't know you noticed," she said, peering at them. Qi had always been on their own, rarely interacting much with the rest of the street rats, although they all knew who they were, of course. Folks knew who Qi was; knew to stay clear, for the most part, although they had always been kind enough to her little group.
Yer Highness chuckled. "Qi notices everything, isn't that right, Qi?" Qi just saluted him and then winked at her.
"You gone go?"
"I guess." A smile blossomed across her face as she thought of it. Her! Natsiq! Off to become a real healer! She couldn't believe it, wouldn't believe it until she was actually down south. Maybe not even then. She glanced up at Qi and was startled when they gave her a smile as well. "I mean yes. I am."
"Good," Qi said, and walked the rest of the way back to Ine's grave at her other side, silent once again.
Chapter 36: A Caliginous Contemplation: How Soon Is Now?
Summary:
Set right after Qi tells Mako that Qi was not aware of the Royalist connection in the middle of Chapter Seven of A Song Of Spring And Autumn.
Qi sits in the dark.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Well, at least I won't have Mako on my ass about the damn Royalists. I try to avoid being on his bad side. Not that he's a man that goes towards violence first or anything like that. Even still. All I need is for him to freeze me out, make things harder than they are. Not to mention I don't want to lose what regard he has for me.
He would have never appreciated Wu the way Wu was today, though. The Wu I saw today didn't need anyone's protection, and Mako, he lives and breathes to protect what he considers his.
I'm not sure if he considers me his. Does it matter? I guess he considers me Wu's, so it's all the same in the end.
I can't believe I told Wu that thing about the doll. I don't know what came over me. I don't, I really don't. Stupid of me. Not that he didn't feel for me, I know he did. He always feels for everyone, wears his heart on his sleeve. I could tell him things, I know I could, he'd never laugh at me or dismiss me, I know him well enough by now to know that.
He'd pity me, though, and I don't want to see pity in his eyes. I don't want him to pity me. I know he won't love me the way I want him to. I know it. I accept it. But I can't take it if he pities me.
I should go, I know I should go. Not just to work for Asami Sato, although it would be a good job and she'd be good to work for, I think. But it's not enough. I should leave the damn city, just go. I've got the yuan for it, I've been putting it all away since I started working for him and Mako showed me how to invest it. I wouldn't be rich or anything, but I could get myself a little place somewhere, open up a little shop, tinker with my engines. Or go the opposite way, go to another city, take on the embroidery work, I'm good enough with it that I'd get commissions. Not bragging, just the truth. Reinvent myself. Again.
Who would I be this time?
Not the child of a whore. Not the child that lived on the streets. Qi kept those things because I couldn't leave them behind me, couldn't read or write, could only transform myself a little. And anyhow, I was just a child. But now? Can't fix the voice, nothing I can do about that, but it could be due to childhood sickness instead of being damn near strangled to death. I could have a mother and a father, a whole family. Grandparents. And if that imaginary family looked a little bit like the one I live with now, who would know? I can read and write now. I can speak without the accent, I've lived for years with all of them, I could sound like Wu if I wanted to.
People will believe whatever they see. Dress like a man? That's what they'll see. Dress like a woman? That's what they'll see as well. Move in a certain way, walk and talk and sit in the ways they expect and they'll never question you. You can fade into the background, you can become invisible, keep your head down, stay low, keep to the shadows.
Until the day you can't take it any longer and you borrow a damn car to take it for a spin and you get caught. Stupidest thing I've ever done. Should have known I was going to get caught. Broke my own rules and look what's come of it? He showed up in that green suit and he fed me and looked me in the eyes and smiled at me, asked me my name, listened to me when I spoke. Welcomed me into his world, that strange world of princes and Avatars and wealth and eccentricities. The man rode a badgermole and tore up half the train tracks. If he'd been someone like me they'd have put him away for being crazy. But princes aren't crazy, just eccentric. Big difference. Always good to keep it in mind.
I should have said no when he tossed me those keys. I should have walked away, even if it had meant a little prison time. Gone back to being anonymous. People on the street left me alone, a few quick slashes with my knife and they learned soon enough not to fuck with Qi. I can't say I was happy, but I lived my life on my own terms.
How could I say no? I was already half in love with him, people who tell you there's no such thing as love at first sight have never felt it. There is. Might not be the love you were hoping for, might not be a love you get returned, might not be a love that lasts, but it's real, and it's not just about wanting to fuck somebody, either. It happens. It did to me.
Now, all these years later, how could I leave? Leave little Zhi, with all of his questions, with his desperate need to be reassured and cared for? I love that boy. Oh, I love the girls as well, love Naoki's fight and fire and sass, and who doesn't love that sweet Meili? Everybody loves Meili. But that boy, he wants so much to connect, and the other kids, they tease him, don't understand him. He sounds like a damn adult, he's got no idea how to connect to kids his own age. I was never smart like that, but I know how it feels to be on the outside, always looking in. He asked me, once, if I knew why his mother would just abandon him the way she did, and I wanted to cry right then and there. Oh baby, I told him, Sometimes mothers, they can't manage things. Sometimes they die, sometimes life just takes them over. Sometimes life is just too hard for people, they can't go on living in it. But your Mama, she carried you for all those months, she gave you life. You'll never know why she left you there, but you'll always know she gave herself to create you. She lives in you. And that boy, he crawled right into my lap and wrapped his arms around me and cried and cried. I let him, too, because who ever cared enough about me to hold me when my heart was breaking? Only Drunk Una, and only when she wasn't passed out on the floor. Which wasn't that often.
Wu would have held me when I was telling him about the doll. I could see he wanted to, but he kept his hands to himself because I'm so standoffish. I can't. I can't let him hold me. I don't know what I'd do - kiss him? Beg him to love me back? I'd just end up horrifying both of us and ruining everything.
Why did I take his hands? I'm such a damn fool. So soft, his hands, he's never done a day's hard work in his life. Those hands, they don't want to touch me, not in the way I want them to.
He put his arms around me and for one second, just one, I pretended like it was because he wanted me and not just because he's impulsive and hugs everyone.
I should go.
I should go.
I hate myself for not going.
I hate Wu for loving me but not loving me the way I want him to.
I hate Mako for knowing how I feel about his husband and for just letting it be. I hate him for sometimes coming into my dreams with those big strong hands, I hate him for those times I wake up, burning and with nothing but my own hands to try to get me back to sleep. No one's ever touched me that way, not the way he does when I'm dreaming, and it hurts too much to wake up alone in that bed as always.
I hate Lin for her kindnesses to me, especially since I suspect she, more than any of the rest of them, understands me.
I hate LoLo for always looking out for me, for making sure I'm cared for.
I hate Wei for his easy friendship, for never once trying to pry or expecting me to be anything I'm not.
I hate those children...no. No. I don't hate those children. I love those children.
I don't hate any of them. Not really. That's obvious, or why would I still be here? But I should go. I came out of the shadows today, and it's not safe for me. If I were smart I'd get on a train first thing tomorrow and just go wherever it took me, start all over again. But I've been telling myself that for years now, and look where I am.
I won't leave tomorrow. I'm too weak for that. I'll put on my armor and I'll go and attend a wedding of people who have always been nothing but kind to me. And I'll probably have a good time, those Beifongs, they know how to throw a party. Because I do have good times. My life, it's good. I have people who care about me now. I'm never cold or hungry, never alone unless I choose to be. I get to do the things I love. I can read and write, I can even manage to cook for myself now, thanks to LoLo. I've got money saved up, enough so I don't have to worry about my future. I go out with Wei sometimes, and it's fun. Every night I eat dinner with that family and I'm loved and included.
But I should go. Because one of these days, I'm going to accidentally let down my guard too much, and spirits know what will happen, because I don't.
I shouldn't have gone to their bedroom. Wu told me he'd tell Mako and I know he would have, he keeps his word. Why did I do it? I'm slipping, I need to be more careful.
I know who I am. I live who I am, even if I don't share it with everyone else. I don't apologize for who I am and I never will. I'm me. Even if that means no one else wants me. I'm never going back to being someone I'm not, just to make it easier for other people to put me in a nice little box that has never felt right to me. I won't do it.
I'm so lonely, though. I am sick to damn death of being so lonely. How is it that I can sit in a room of people and still feel alone? Why do I stick around?
I should go.
Notes:
I remember distinctly the first time I heard that opening guitar riff of The Smiths' "How Soon Is Now?" Johnny Marr somehow managed to put all of the loneliness I was feeling - and had always felt - into a single sound. It sounded like someone was sobbing. And then the lyrics!
I knew this was Qi's song from the moment Qi appeared on the page.
Chapter 37: A Backpedal of Denial: Bolin Tries To Be Sincere
Summary:
Archived Tumblr prompt:
"I didn't intend to kiss you."
Notes:
A follow up to an incident related in Wei's chapter of Ten Years After The Fall.
Chapter Text
“I didn’t intend to kiss you,” he said, raising an eyebrow, before jerking up his chin a bit. No. Too suave, maybe. Too much like a playboy.
He cast his eyes down and rolled his shoulders forward. “I didn’t intend to kiss you,” he said, with a tremble in his voice. Nope. Too humble. Not really him.
“I didn’t intend to kiss you?” No, that just made him sound like he wasn’t sure of himself. That wasn’t going to work.
A direct, unflinching gaze, shoulders squared, standing up straight. “I didn’t intend to kiss you.” Well, that was a little bit better. Still a little harsh, but maybe that was better than apologetic.
The problem was, Bolin mused, staring at himself in the mirror, is that no matter how he tried to sell it, it still didn’t erase the truth. He might have been drunk, sure, but even still. He really had intended on kissing him.
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