"But what if they keep Shaozu out too?"
An ominous quiet settled on the streets of Republic City. It wasn't heavy, as one would imagine quiet would be, but thin and tense, as if something could shatter it at any moment. The quiet suited the cool darkness that was present in the small hours of the morning and the freezing rain that fell in sheets from the sky.
The rumbling engine of a motorcycle broke the silence as it came barreling down the street. The rider stopped in front of an apartment building, killing the throttle and putting the kickstand down on his bike. He sighed as he looked at the building through his goggles and the sheets of freezing rain.
He had to go up there.
He owed them an explanation.
Shaozu took out the keys to the front door out of his pocket, fumbling with the lock. Finally, he got the door open and proceeded to walk up the stairway reluctantly, one step at a time.
There he was.
Right in front of the door.
Knock on it, you moron.
He stood there for a full two minutes, hand raised in the air, his face contorted in some sort of mixture of reluctance and anticipation.
Finally, he took a deep breath and his fist rapped on the door not once, not twice, but three full times.
Shaozu waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Just as he was going to knock on the door a second time, he was met with a disgruntled Tahno. His clothes were hastily thrown on, his hair a mess and his makeup smeared, but it was still Tahno.
He blearily looked at Shaozu until a spark of recognition flashed before his eyes, only to be replaced with ire.
"Get. Out." Tahno hissed between clenched teeth.
Shaozu stepped back and stammered.
"Wait, what? Tahno I…"
"Leave. Now."
Tahno kept advancing towards him, closer and closer until Shaozu couldn't move back against the wall anymore. Tahno grabbed Shaozu by the collar and whispered in his ear.
"I don't ever want to see you here again. Do you understand me?"
Shaozu nodded.
Tahno threw him against the back wall and slamming the front door, went inside the apartment.
He heard footsteps hurriedly descending the stairs. Slumping against the door, he sat on the ground, hugging his knees.
Ming came out from the bedroom, eyes wide with panic.
"Tahno…Tahno are you okay?"
"He…he came back."
"What?! Well then where…."
Shock quickly turned to anger as Ming looked back at Tahno.
"You sent him away."
A low sob escaped from Tahno's throat as he buried his face back in his knees.
Ming stared at him for a moment until he turned his back on him and left the room, angrily slamming the door to the bedroom.
Tahno heard the motorcycle engine start again and listened to it rumbling down the street until it was gone.
The quiet settled back into the apartment and into the streets, only to be broken by the occasional sob and patter of the freezing rain.