AU - Probending Circuit.

Firebender, Mo Ce Mongoose Lizards

Word Count: 998

Prompts:

(word) underestimate

(character) Appa

(restriction) Someone must be sitting at all times

Bonus - fire plays role in story

The heat surrounds my body, searing away the last shreds of life away. The tight metal encases my lower half, while my upper half is drowning in fire. I continue to struggle, but suddenly, the twinkling lights tell me to make peace with their will. Suddenly, I feel calm, ready to drift away into the tides of time. I sink to the bottom, but then my lover's voice wills me back. I'm reaching for the surface, but I can't break it. I struggle until I sink back, finally letting go of everything. The current finally takes me away, and at last, I'm gone.

Telling my girlfriend the dreams that plagued me always put her on edge. I knew she wanted to help, but since the accident, there isn't much she could really do. There isn't much anyone could do, and yes, I count my pup Appa in that list of "someones."

My girlfriend and I had arrived at the restaurant early. I knew this whole 'double date' thing was just a ploy from my uncle to get me the hell out of the house, since I seemed to be melting into the furniture nowadays.

A raised voice wrenched me out of my thoughts. I looked up at Asami, who quite loudly yelled at the hostess for her insensitivity. I let out a quick curse under my breath, born from frustration over the whole situation. I despised having to have 'special treatment' due to my accident: one that I caused. One that completely destroyed the lives of a number of others, but somehow, one that Asami and I managed to survive.

I tried to pay attention to our conversation, but my mind kept going back to that dream, even as my cousin Desna, and his boyfriend, Huan, were going on about getting caught stealing. I caught small snippets of their conversation, something about an officer Ty Lee, Huan needing to get a hold of himself, and Desna being as brooding as ever. Those two were the kings of angst, which made them absolutely disgustingly in love with each other.

Not that I didn't know the feeling. I looked over as they continued to talk animatedly about their adventure, and finally looked over at Asami, who was engrossed in the story. I wanted to smile, but couldn't. It was too much energy that I didn't have to spare.

I breathed in, suddenly having my breath caught in my throat. I searched wildly to see the source of the offending smoke that had somehow seemed to envelop my whole body in an instant.

I could taste the hot burning smoke that coated my lungs and constricted my throat before I could see it. My lips parted involuntarily as I tried to reason with myself, as well as catch my breath. It's got to be from a cigarette, right?

The pool of fire is quickly pulling me back into its depths.

My eyes glazed over, and my heart started to pound in my ears. I looked around frantically, seeing nothing and everything at the same time.

Appa nudged my hand, tryin to catch my attention, but it was too late. Flashes of twisted metal cloud my vision, and I can suddenly feel the phantom pain shooting through my numb legs.

I'm not sure who said it, but I registered the words, "Korra, are you alright?"

I had to leave.

Quickly unlocking my wheelchair, I looked desperately for an escape route. The group had underestimated how crowded and complicated this restaurant was for someone who wasn't able to walk, but I couldn't fault my cousin, or really any of them, for picking this place.

Weaving my way through waiters and tables of oblivious diners, I finally found my exit with Appa in tow.

I waited impatiently as the handicap accessible doors pulled themselves open and quickly rolled through the final entrapments of the restaurant. Asami was right behind me, trying to stop me from going further. My lungs burned for air. I took a shuddering gasp try and recapture the breath I hadn't known I was still holding, and after several attempts, got myself into a more steady pattern of breathing again. I refocused my eyes and tried to ignore the memories of an accident that left me like this: alone, exhausted, and indefinitely disabled.

"Korra, God, where are you going?"

She put her hand on my shoulder in an attempt to project comfort, and I flinched at the sudden contact. She sighed and held onto the chair, preventing further escape. She gave me a look that said, 'move and you're toast,' and pulled me towards a wall. She put her back to the wall and slid down, taking position to sit down next to me.

"Please, Korra, talk to me," She looked like she was about to cry.

I opened my mouth to respond, only to expel an unintelligible jumble of words that made no sense. I tried to form coherent thoughts before answering, but my mind still willed me to try and escape. I cleared my throat, expelling the last remnants of the smoke, and started again, "Everything's fine, I… I just—I'm having another… panic attack."

I think Asami knew I was lying about the everything being fine bit, but she decided to go along with it.

"You know I'm here for you, right?" She put her hand on my own, "That I'm going to let go. I'm not going to stop."

I resisted crying, even though the tears had been threatening to spill over since my exit from the table. I looked over to her, and saw the pleading in her eyes. I knew she wanted to help. I knew it was hard on her, too. I knew all these things, but still couldn't will myself to say the right words to make the situation better.

Appa strained to nudge himself between us, trying to cheer me up. I looked between him, and Asami, trying to clear my head enough to speak something. But all that left my throat was a quiet, "thank you," before the tears fell freely, onto our clasped hands.

Please R&R. All comments and critique is welcomed!