dropped at adstringendum

[waterbends]

I've been there two and a half years. What am I supposed to do now?

Comments

[spats]

[ Get hugged by Mako, that's what. ]

[waterbends]

Sorry I couldn't stick around to be your ace in the hole, Mako.

[ idiosyncrasies are okay in dear mun, right.. ]

[spats]

[ Always. Chuckling, he chins her hair. ]

You always were, Katara. I'm sure you'll be fine, whatever it is that you do next.

[waterbends]

[ She finally wraps her arms around him in return, pressing her face into his shoulder to sigh. ]

I think I'm gonna be shelved for a while. .. you'll do me a favor, right?

[spats]

At least you'll get a much-deserved break. [ A gloved hand rubs comfortingly up and down her back as he peers inquiringly. ] Sure, what is it?

[waterbends]

If Jet's still around..

[ She's just sagging into him a little. ]

[spats]

... I'll take care of him, don't worry.

[ Lots of hanging out and bothering Jet for the foreseeable future. Always fun. ]

By which I mean, I'll let him fly off the handle at me. It'll be cathartic for the guy.

[waterbends]

Good. Just don't let him push you around, okay?

[ She nudges his shoulder with her forehead. ]

Not that I think anyone could.

[spats]

[ Laughter huffs into thick hair as he squeezes her, swaying a little. ]

Jet? Push me around? Psh, we're the best of friends, it's this huge secret conspiracy. Seriously, though, I'll keep an eye out for him and make sure he doesn't go AWOL.

[waterbends]

Oh, yeah, I can tell that you are. [ She squeezes him in return, fingers pressed into his back. She's more upset than she's letting on. ]

Just don't let him burn anything down, please.

[spats]

[ Gathering up her hair, he lets the warm weight of his hand cradle the back of her neck to absently keep her close for as long as Katara wants to be hugged. Tipping back his own thoughtfully, he snorts. ]

You know, for a guy with a stigma against firebenders, he sure acts like he wants to be one sometimes. I'll put out any flames he starts.

[everlastingturmoil]

.. my mun says she's sorry.

[waterbends]

For what?

[everlastingturmoil]

Not keeping up with me, I guess.

[waterbends]

.. neither has mine. She was going to make me bloodbend, Jet.

[waterbends]

[ Katara can't help it; she sighs at that, relaxing just marginally. It's nice to feel safe again, for once- for the first time in a hell of a long time. ]

Thanks. And don't let Azula push anyone around, okay?

[ She doesn't want her conversations to end. As relieved as she is, she's not sure she wants it to be over. ]

[spats]

[ He'll be a big wall of reassurance and warm company for as long as she needs, it's what he does. ]

I hear you on that. Ty Lee might be coming back, she can keep her in line.

[everlastingturmoil]

Are you alright?

[waterbends]

I'm out of that place. I've kind of wanted that forever.

[savedtheworld]

Katara...

You can start over somewhere else. Or you can finally go home. It looks like things are getting better there.

[waterbends]

.. I don't want to go anywhere else, Aang. And I don't want to go home, knowing that I've left everyone there.

[savedtheworld]

You can't control it, Katara. Not in these places. You just have to take comfort in the good you were able to do there. And... you can see them back home, too. So you know they'll make it back. They're gonna be okay.

I'm sorry I wasn't there for you.

[waterbends]

I'm sorry that I'll miss Ty Lee.

[ Finally, finally, she's untangling herself from him. Reluctantly. ]

[waterbends]

What? No. No, that's not your fault - you couldn't help that. [ Her fingers twitch unhappily. ] I don't think I was me anymore, anyway. I was about to do some... really bad things. I'm glad you weren't there.

[savedtheworld]

I don't believe that you would do anything that's really bad. Or that you'd ever stop being you. But if you were going through something where you thought that... I'd want to be there for you.