I stood outside waiting for Baatar in a formal dress which I had ditched the guard uniform for. I stood nervously. I had grown up in the same household as Baatar, but I hadn't seen much of him since I joined the guard force when I was a teen, and I saw even less of him once I became captain and moved into the barracks. In fact, besides the occasional meetings I had with Su and her family, I probably haven't had an actual conversation with him since he was eighteen. He was always with his father, inventing and creating. But when I saw him in the hall today, something seemed different with him. I wonder— My thoughts were cut off as I heard Baatar's footsteps coming towards me. I looked up to see him in some bland dress robes. We both smiled.
"Ready to go?" He asked. I nodded and took his arm while he flagged down a car.
"No personal driver?" I queried as I knew he could very easily have gotten us a private car.
"I— just thought that maybe we could get out of the public eye for a bit, if that's alright with you," he stuttered.
"It's perfect," I said as he opened the door of a Satomobile for me.
"Where to?" The driver asked.
"Kwong's Cuisine," said Baatar, Climbing into the back with me and shutting the door. Baatar paid the man as we both got out and walked through the grand doors of the restaurant.
"Do you have a reservation?" Inquired a man, as soon as we had entered. Baatar looked shocked, then embarrassed.
"Agh, reservations, I forgot," he whispered as he rummaged around in his coat pockets.
"Aha!" He exclaimed as he subtly flashed a paper with a flying boar symbol that branded him as a Beifong.
"Right this way, sir," said the host, seating us at a table in the back of the dimly lit restaurant. The host pulled the chair out for me, and I put my napkin on my lap. Baatar and I picked up the menus in front of us and perused in silence. A few minutes later, a waitress came.
"I'll have the roast duck," said Baatar.
"And I'll have the arctic hen," I stated, handing the menu to the waiter.
"Excellent choice, miss," the waitress said and left to the kitchen.
"I normally wouldn't use my name as a bribe to get what I want, but I wanted tonight to be special," he sighed nervously. Baatar looked at me.
"You look beautiful tonight, Kuvira," he said, causing my cheeks to redden.
"Thank you," I replied.
"So, you never told me where you were going earlier today. In the hallway," I pressed. I knew something was wrong.
"It was nothing," Baatar said putting his hands on the table and curling them into fists.
"I showed my father this idea of clean energy, and— I don't know what I expected. Spirit energy could save the world, and we can't keep using coal forever. You know the story of what that one Fire Nation factory did to that lake village, everyone was falling ill. If I could figure out how to do this, especially if I could figure out how to do cheaply— everyone could have clean energy, and everyone could have a chance to live a better life! But apparently, my father thinks that helping others is a waste of time," he growled, but I could tell there was a hint of hopelessness in his heart.
"Baatar, that sounds wonderful," I marveled, genuinely impressed with his idea.
"I only wish we could supply everyone with our technology," I lamented.
"Why can't we?" He asked.
"Well— your mother," I looked up at him, checking to make sure he wasn't offended. He looked at me in interest, so I continued.
"I had just left a meeting when I bumped into you. With Su, and Raiko, and Tenzin. They asked your mother to watch over the Earth Kingdom temporarily so things can get in a little bit of order. She could share Zaofu's supplies, and she denied. I was— angry, I guess, that she wasn't willing to help when she certainly has the ability to do so," I said.
"Kids are starving out there, Baatar. I was lucky to be taken in. But that's just not what happens most of the time," I said looking at him.
"We're not going to let that happen anymore," reassured Baatar, grabbing my hands. I looked up at him in shock.
"You're right. We have the resources. And we can't keep letting chaos ensue in our country. These people need Zaofu. They need us," I hadn't realized we had gotten closer together. The waitress came back and set our food in front of us. Both of us immediately snapped back in our seats, and we started to eat.
"How's Opal doing, now that she's an Airbender?" I asked, my mouth full of hen. We continued to talk well into the night and on the ride home. I hadn't realized we had gotten to the doors of the barracks again until I almost bumped into the door. It had become very dark. Our conversation ceased as we realized the night was over. We both smiled at each other and leaned in to kiss. I looked back up at Baatar and started to open the door.
"I had a delightful time, Baatar,"
"We'll meet again tomorrow? In your office?" He said grabbing one of my hands.
"Maybe it should be yours, as I'm assuming yours would be better suited for two than mine?" I asked.
"Mine then," he said. We kissed once more before I pushed open the door completely and staggered inside. I closed the door while still facing it, only to turn around and see other guards snickering at me.
"Back to work," I ordered as everyone turned around back to their respective tables. I entered my private room and let down my hair before collapsing in my bed contentedly. I picked up Baatar's blueprints and looked over them once more.