A/N: Hi friends! This was kicking around the brain for the better part of last night. I wanted a little "Baatar's turning point" in his decision to stay with the Great Uniter with some fluff between them. Honestly, I think she's just using him, but THIS IS MY HEAD CANON DAMMIT.
The mess car was immaculate. The former security force of Zao Fu in their deep green uniforms lent a sense of ordered serenity to the room. Apart from the banners that hung above the car doors, the interior was entirely composed of metal in a sleek, minimalist style. Baatar sat alone at one of the corner tables, his breakfast barely touched and pushed to the side. Blueprint paper, straightedges, and a stylus lay before him, and he tapped his pen against his chin as he regarded his work. Kuvira was quick to notice him when she entered, and inclined her head in his direction as soon as he noticed her. "Good morning," she said, sitting down. She pulled out a scroll. "You're working through breakfast as well?"
He nodded, looking back at the papers.
"Are you tired?" she asked, smoothing out a crumpled paper.
"No."
"No?" She regarded him carefully, quirking a brow. "You aren't tired?"
"More emotionally spent than tired."
"Ah." She pursed her lips, shrugging off her coat. She had left her armor off, for once. "Well, I won't pry unless you want me too... that's never helped anyone." He was silent. Kuvira glanced at him again. "If you do need to talk though, I'm ready to listen."
"Thank you." The mess car was crowded, but in terms of relative space, their table felt secluded. He rubbed his hands together.
"Are you cold?" she asked. "You're shivering."
"Am I?" He jerked his head towards the window. "It's winter...the windows are misting over. Don't you get cold?"
"Sometimes," she said, with a small smile. "But usually I'm hot. It's not vanity talking; I'm being literal."
Baatar laughed in spite of himself. "Literal? So you're a human radiator?"
"Essentially," she said, and took one of his hands. It was cold to her touch, and he tensed slightly in her grip.
"Extremities aren't good indicators of body heat," Baatar said. "The closer you are to the center of circulation, the better the-"
Kuvira made two sharp movements; the first was to metalbend his seat towards her, and the second was to wrap her arms around him. "I wasn't exaggerating," she said in a low tone as he held her against his chest for an awkward second longer than she had expected.
"Impressive," Baatar said. He reddened slightly as he looked back at the blueprints. "I needed that."
She raised her eyebrows. "What's the matter?"
He looked around the car. "If we could go for a walk or find a more private corner... I do want to talk about something with you," he said. "You probably already know what it's about."
"The minute you said 'emotionally spent' I knew you were talking about Suyin," Kuvira said gently.
Baatar stood, pinching at the bridge of his nose. "You're astute," he said, forcing a chuckle. A shiver ran through him, and she couldn't be sure if it was only from the draft.
She stood too. An odd sense of obligation came over her. "Do you need another...?"
He laughed genuinely this time, and so they hugged again, feeling his chin at her temple and his back beneath her hands. His arms tightened around her, and she could feel his breath catch in his chest. Kuvira almost stumbled forward as he held her, and wondered with a prick of worry if her armymen were watching them. She didn't need his role as her second in command compromised by questions of favoritism. Baatar was flush against her, his arms pulling her to him by the waist, his jaw resting against the side of her head. His beard tickled her face, but she didn't let go right away. And when they let go it was slow and reluctant, his hands lingering at the small of her back and hers at his upper arms. "Let's find a place," he said quietly.
"Let's go to the next car," she suggested. She could already feel questioning eyes upon them, though it was hardly warranted; she was known to have lived under Suyin's roof for most of her childhood. It was only natural that she and Baatar were close. She had of late suspected that his feelings toward her were more than purely filial, however, and she felt particularly on edge. It wasn't that she was opposed, but encouraging him might open up a host of problems that could inconvenience her campaign to reunite the kingdom. Still, it would practically guarantee his loyalty...
The doors hissed shut behind them. "You know that this is about my mother."
"Did she send a wire?"
"She hasn't since my last one," he said, leaning against the wall. "She was completely opposed to our- my- leaving, and most of our correspondence was her asking me to return.."
"Do you want to return?" Kuvira kept her voice gentle, but the edge was in her eyes.
"To live in my father's shadow? No." Baatar looked at her, expression pleading. "To see my mother again, and let things go back to how they were? Yes."
"How long have you wanted to leave?"
"I don't want to leave you," he said. "But for the longest time, I've wanted to go back. I don't know what made the change, but in my last wire I told her I was committed to the cause. I can't say what made me say it.. She didn't take it well, though. Opal said she's extremely upset-"
"Baatar, if you aren't certain that you want to stay with me, I can't keep you," Kuvira said. His inclusion of 'you' hadn't escaped her notice.
"I go to bed feeling one way and wake up feeling completely differently," he said. "I want to reassure her and Opal that I'll be back soon to see them and my brothers, but I don't want to make promises I'm unsure I can keep. And if I continue to help here, she won't want me back." He looked at her. "I told her to contact me when she was ready to talk, and she's been silent for a week."
"Why don't you radio Zao Fu?" Kuvira suggested. "If she truly wants to stay in touch..."
"If it were you, what would you prefer?"
She paused, tipping her head back to look him full in the face. She always forgot about his imposing height and build until she was standing next to him, she mused, looking him over appreciatively. He was twice the man he had been when they left Zao Fu six months ago. "What do you mean?"
"If I were to leave, would you want me to radio, or wait for you to contact me when you're ready?"
"I would want to know if there was a chance of you returning or not," she said evenly, "and I would want you to come forward and tell me."
"All right." He sank into a chair and was silent for some time. "I'll radio Zao Fu later today," he said at last.
"Would you?" She sat opposite him.
"Would I what?"
"Would you leave?" She felt her cheeks color slightly as she said it, but he was avoiding her eyes.
He looked at his hands, jaw working furiously as he compressed his lips. "Sorry, trying to get a handle on this.."
Kuvira regarded his tensed shoulders calculatingly. "It's fine if you want to return," she said, patting his shoulder gently. She pulled him to her again, this time her cheek against his. She smiled when he rested his chin on her shoulder.
"I don't think I can," he said softly, one hand trailing down her back.
"I won't hold you here against your will," she murmured. "If you want-"
"No, I don't think I can leave you- and the formation of the Earth Empire," he added.
She pulled back, her hands on his shoulders. "Then don't," she said, tone stern again. She regarded him imperiously for a few moments, laughing when Baatar failed to look away or break the silence. "What is it?" As she spoke she grew conscious of the proximity of his face to hers. The only sound in the room was their breath and the dull rumble of the train over the tracks.
"I.." He moved a stray piece of hair from her face, his hand lingering on her cheek.
She realized what he was nerving himself to do, but she kissed him first, smiling against his lips as he let out a soft exclamation of surprise. He was tentative, and she broke away for a moment, resting her forehead against his. "Well?"
He was blushing, but he made no sign of letting go. "Why stop?"
"Why not kiss me like a man?" Kuvira said, a teasing edge to her voice, "or are you not-"
Her words were cut short, ending in a little cry. He obliged.
o0o
"I left my blueprints in the mess car," Baatar said suddenly.
"Damn it," she said, getting off him. "My briefcase is there too." She checked her appearance in the reflective window, returning her hair to its immaculate order before turning her attention to Baatar. "It's entirely possible that no one will have noticed, and if anyone has this can be easily explained."
"Right." He found his glasses on the desk and smoothed the front of his uniform. "Ready?"
"Not so fast." She re-buttoned his cuff. "Small details are more noticeable than you think," she said, combing his hair back into place with her fingers. "And we're not compromising my reputation by leaving this car together unless you answer my question," she added, giving his collar a final tug.
"Which is?"
"Are you worth the potential insubordination?" For a moment the flinty expression in her eyes dimmed, and her hands rested behind his neck longer than necessary. "Will you be staying?"
He kissed her in reply and she smiled, pulling herself up to her tiptoes to better meet him. A rap at the door startled them both, and Baatar fairly dropped her in his haste to pull away. "Permission to enter, Great Uniter?"
"I'm going to take that as a yes," she murmured. She metalbended the door open. "Yes?"
"We've reached Taku. The governor has refused to accept your proposed terms," the young captain said, saluting. "Is it time?"
"Ready the mechatanks," Kuvira said, a slow smile spreading across her face. "You may get to see some long overdue action. I'll be out to see if he is willing to negotiate shortly."
The captain saluted, the door hissing shut behind him.
"I never did hear you say 'yes,'" she said casually as they made their way back to the mess car.
"I won't say yes," Baatar said.
Kuvira stopped him, holding his arm. "Then why-"
"It doesn't have quite the same ring as 'forever,'" he said.
Kuvira smiled. "So romantic," she teased. "I'll break you of that." But when he pressed a final kiss to her temple just before the doors opened, she made no complaints.
A/N: Baavira headcanons. I'll show myself the door. Drop a review if you liked it!