Hakoda walked out of his igloo in the afternoon. He was in his prime, a young man at the South Pole. They were working on building a wall around their homes, but without water benders it was difficult. He tended to notice that the women really enjoyed watching it though. He liked that fact, but truly only had eyes for one, her name was Kya. She was a family friend, but he had a crush on her for longer than he could admit to anyone. Bato knew about it, and never took an opportunity to not tease him about it, and tell him to get on with it. He always said he was waiting for the right time, but in truth, he was just nervous. He put on a brave face, and was admired by the women of the village, but when it came to talking to Kya, he just froze up. Fitting he was working with snow everyday. Bato came over to join him, having finished his lunch.
"Come on lazy bones, don't just stand there, we have work to do, if we are lucky we can finish the western wall today!" Hakoda laughed. "Race you there!" He challenged, running ahead of him.
Kya looked up at the wall being built from her bedroom window. She was patching a parka that had been damaged in the sleet storm they had last week. It was monotonous work, but she felt much too independent to ask for help on it. Sure she would like to join the other women gawking at the pride of the Southen Water Tribe, but she knew she should be productive. A loud thud was heard outside her window and she stood up confused. In the distance Bato was running ahead. "Better luck next time!" He yelled back to a figure on the ground. Kya put her parka down and hurried outside to see a snow covered Hakoda sitting up. He was awfully handsome, but she wasn't going to say anything. "Are you okay?" She asked him.
He put his hand on the back of his head where he had apparently hit it.
"Uh… I think so." He said nervously. She giggled at him, he was blushing. She looked down to the human shaped snow where he had just lifted himself from and saw a touch of red.
"You're bleeding." She said hurrying over to look at the back of his head. She suddenly felt nervous realizing that she had her hands on him. Sure she had wanted to touch him before, hold him in fact, but that didn't mean her daydreams could come to fruition. Sure enough there was a stream of blood coming from a gash in his head. She reached down to where the red was and found a rock. That was pleasant.
"Come inside, let me get that stitched up." She said, grabbing his arm, worried about him.
"You're going to pay for this Bato!" Hakoda yelled after his friend who was still unaware that he was hurt. His head throbbed at the noise of his own voice. He couldn't believe she was touching him. His heart had increased ten fold, which wasn't good for the head wound he was sure. He kneeled down when she let go to get supplies. He was in her house, alone with her. He wanted to run, scream, but at the same time, never leave. Her footsteps alerted him that she was back, snapping him out of his daydream.
"Sit still." She said to him. It was harder then he thought, not because the rag wiping the blood hurt, though it did, but because her warm hand rested on his shoulder causing tingles of pleasure to course through him. This was ridiculous, she had such an effect on him. "Bato's going to get you killed one day." She said shaking her head. Hakoda laughed in response. "I know, but at least it will be a good story." He could hear the smile in her voice as she replied. "Not good enough if you can't tell it." He blushed at that, but was quickly pulled away by a sharp pain.
"Ow, what're you doing?" He said jerking forward and looking back at her.
"Stitching you up." She said, pushing his head forward causing him to laugh.
"Well couldn't you make it hurt less?" He teased her, wincing at the pain of the needle.
She paused for a moment and he was worried she was going to ditch the effort.
"I could always let you pass out from blood loss, then you wouldn't feel a thing." She said in a daring manner. He laughed before responding. "I'll behave."
It took her about ten minutes to finish stitching him up, complaining his hair was in the way and fighting Bato off. When she finished she gave his shoulder a squeeze. "All done." She said. He turned to look at her now. She was sitting on a stool, allowing her to reach his head with ease, a small bowl of water next to it with a bloody cloth in it. She must have used it to clean his wound.
"Thank you Kya." He said smiling at her.
"You're wel…" Her words were cut off by Hakoda kissing her lips swiftly.
He pulled away from her and looked away. As did she.
"I'm sorry, I'll just go." He stood up and started running towards the door when a hand grabbed his shoulder.
"Hakoda…wait." She said, freezing him in place. "You need to come back next week, so I can…remove the stitches." She was blushing and not looking at him.
"Okay Kya, see you next week then." He walked out of the tent feeling stupid, yet gratified. What was wrong with him?
"You did what?" Bato said roaring with laughter at his house. "Shut. Up." Hakoda said socking him in the arm. "Dude! It's about time." He said laughing. Hakoda sighed, this wasn't helping, he needed advice, not people laughing at him. "I think I screwed up." He told him. "I mean, I will be lucky if she even looks at me again. I'm such an idiot." He said shaking his head, causing his headache to storm back to life.
"Hakoda, listen, you said she wanted you to come back right?"
"Well yeah…"
"Then that means she wants to see you again."
"No, she just needs to remove my stitches."
"Man, I could do that."
Hakoda winced at the idea of Bato removing his stitches. "Maybe you're right." He told him. Bato patted his arm. "Relax, things are gonna work out. I'll go tell the Chief that you are going to be down for a few days. Lucky dog." Hakoda sighed, he was glad Bato felt that way, he was still just really confused.
Kya sat in her room grinning. It was ridiculous, and stupid, but still, she was grinning. He had kissed her, for no real reason. She wanted to jump and dance, but she didn't want to fall over and give herself a head injury. She smiled, taking out her diary, she had something to add, something exciting. Her father knocked on her bedroom door and she welcomed him in.
"I heard what you did for Hakoda today, that very nice of you." He said to her. "Kanna has invited us for dinner to thank us next week." He smiled at her and she smiled back. "Thanks dad. I'll wear my best dress."
"That's my girl." He walked out and closed the door, pressing her diary to her chest. Her father, the chief, was proud of her. This was turning out to be a good day, even if she had to sew human flesh.
The week came and went, Hakoda staring blankly at the wall sharpening his sword. His mother told him to stay inside because she didn't want him hurting himself again, and Bato wasn't allowed because he had gotten them in so much in the past. His head was healed now, he was sure of it because it no longer hurt his head to shake it. The stitches were a bit odd, but he would have Kya take them out for him today, she was coming over with her father for dinner, so that would be the way to do it.
"Hakoda! The chief is here!" Kanna called out from the living room. He walked out slowly, throwing a blue waist coat on. He looked in the ice mirror he had and smiled. He didn't look half bad. He walked out and saw the chief dressed in his normal wolf coat, and Kya was beside him, wearing an ankle length blue dress that hugged her body. He could have stared at her blankly until time stopped had the chief not interrupted him.
"How are you feeling Hakoda?" He asked with a smile.
"Back to normal sir, you're daughter's a good surgeon." He replied, looking over to her with a smile.
"Sit everyone, I made kare kare" Kanna said smiling, waving to the table.
Dinner went nicely, with a good amount of blushes between Hakoda and Kya as the parents discussed marriages past. It was ended with some cake that was delectable. Kya and Hakoda went into the back room where Kanna kept her supplies. Kya was once again positioned behind Hakoda with instruments not originally meant for the human body.
"Looks like you healed up nicely." She said to him, cutting the first know and pulling out the string. He winced a little at the tug.
"Yeah, you did a great job." He told her, wincing again as she removed another stitch. It was quiet between them as she finished her work. When he heard the tweezers clatter to the small bowl he turned to look at her.
"Thank you again Kya." He responded, looking down and then speaking again.
"Listen, I'm sorry about last…" It was her turn to interrupt him with a kiss. He grinned at her in response. "Well never mind then." He said with a grin looking up to her. He put his arm gently around her, pulling her in for another kiss. One of many to come.