The holidays are finally here, and for once everyone at the 6152nd is embracing the spirit and cheer that goes along with them. Sure, homesickness is as abundant as ever (especially for people like Korra and Mako and Zhu Li, who've been stationed in the Earth Kingdom for almost all of the war), but it's different now. Kai thinks it's because they haven't been inundated with casualties in days—President Akiyama and Hotah Deng had miraculously organized a truce that's supposed to last from Wanmas to the New Year, and he's one hundred percent fine with that. So, it seems, is everyone else. Corporal Tikka organizes the decorating of the mess tent and postop with the determination and fervor of a four-star general. Zhu Li orders fresh shipments of food and alcohol from I-Corps and helps the recovering soldiers phone home free of charge (thanks to Korra). There's laughter and good coffee and card games and moonshine and he gets to sleep in and the Officer's Club is open every night, and it's all amazing.
Yet this year is different. Last Wanmas, he and Skoochy had organized a week-long party filled with alcohol, good food, and drunk pranks. The year before, he'd been in Yu Dao with Yung and praying that the war wouldn't escalate that far north. This year he's got Jinora to consider, and although he knows that she doesn't celebrate Wanmas, he wants her to have the best holiday season ever.
Now he just has to figure out what to get her.
It's not like he hasn't thought about it before, but the New Year is looming nearer and that'll be the last party before the truce officially ends and he knows that'll be his last chance. He knows what she likes but getting her a book or a new journal or a bottle of perfume or fresh-baked egg cookies just seems too impersonal, like it doesn't come close to summing up what she means to him. And for lack of other options, he decides to ask around. More specifically, he decides to ask the four people that he's positive won't snitch.
"The new book in the Red String series came out last month," Korra says, not even bothering to look up from the stacks of paperwork on her desk. "She's a big fan; she'll love that."
"Unfortunately, Captain Wen, I don't know Captain Gyatso as well as you do," Zhu Li says, somehow managing to make eye contact with him while she does seven different things at once. "I suggest that you ask yourself what she likes and go from there."
"Spare her from alcohol for the entirety of the new year," Mako says, his voice coming out muffled from beneath the pillow under which he's buried himself. He'd gone out dancing with Kiyi last night and if the groans from the nurses' tent are any indication, neither of them have recovered from their hangovers yet. "I know she'll appreciate that."
"Get her something from the heart," Bolin says. Opal, thankfully, is not present for this conversation; Kai knows perfectly well that she's one of the worst secret keepers in the entire unit. Bolin, despite his exuberance, knows how to keep his mouth shut when it's serious. "It doesn't necessarily have to be elaborate, Kai. She'll like it if you put a lot of thought into whatever it is you're giving her."
Kai decides to go with Bolin's advice. Not only does it resonate with him the most, but Bolin's a psychiatrist and he's happily engaged to Opal Beifong and once dated Ginger Zhang. If anyone here (besides Skoochy, maybe) is qualified to give him girl advice, then it's definitely Bolin.
Dìbātiān de Jùhuì arrives the week before Wanmas, and thankfully the truce is still as strong as ever so none of the planned ceremony will be interrupted by a wave of wounded and sixteen hours of meatball surgery. Korra lets Jinora use the mess tent in place of an actual temple and Kai helps her light lanterns and stands guard at the door while she leads Opal and a few other corpsman of Air Nomad descent in prayer. It's a fascinating ceremony, actually, although he doesn't have the same connection to it that Jinora and the others do.
"Blessed are You, Raava, Sovereign of all," says Jinora with her eyes closed, "for giving us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this season."
"Amen," says Opal, closely followed by the other corpsmen.
Jinora's eyes open and she grins at them, Kai automatically smiling even though it isn't directed at him. "Great," she says happily. "That's that. Thanks for joining me, you guys. I really appreciate it."
"No prob, Jin," Opal says, slinging an arm around her friend's shoulder. "Besides, I've been meaning to get back in touch with my Air Nomad side for years now. Maybe we can meet up again for Xiébō Shōuliǎn or something."
"That is if the war isn't still going on this spring," says one of the corpsmen. Kai is pretty sure that his name is Otaku, and he's only been stationed here for about six months. He looks about forty, with a chubby face and thick glasses and thinning brown hair, and he's smiling like he hasn't had this much fun in months. "Thank you again, Captain Gyatso."
"You're welcome, Otaku. Anytime!"
Once everyone clears out—and Opal makes Jinora promise to meet her and Bolin in the Officer's Club to continue their Pai Sho game from yesterday—Kai makes his way over to Jinora and presses a quick kiss to her cheek. "Great ceremony, Jin," he praises. "I think you did an awesome job. The prayer especially was really nice."
Jinora rolls her eyes fondly. "You didn't understand any of the prayer and you know it."
That's accurate, as the prayer had been layered in terms from the old languages and had switched topics so quickly that Kai couldn't keep track of it as much as he'd wanted to, but he pretends to be offended. Placing a hand over his chest in shock, he says, "Captain Gyatso, you fiend. I'll have you know that it's the spirit of the thing that counts."
They walk out of the mess tent hand in hand, not needing to clear away the lanterns and put back the tables and chairs for at least an hour, and just as Kai's about to ask Jinora whether or not she minds stopping back at the Swamp for a moment, the piercing shriek of a whistle rips through the air. Instantly on guard, Kai pushes Jinora behind him and looks around for possible snipers or the uniform of a New Freedom Fighter—only to remember that their signal for that is a siren, not a whistle. False alarm.
He turns to look at Jinora, who looks as though she's realized the same thing, and bites his lip. "Sorry," he says sheepishly. "Force of habit—you can never be too sure, y'know."
"After all that's happened over the last few months, I don't blame you in the slightest." Jinora pats him on the shoulder as if to say all is forgiven, and then she stands up straighter and squints in the distance. "I think Korra's the one who blew the whistle; she's standing up on one of the jeeps now."
The two of them hurry to the motor pool, where a crowd is forming rapidly. Kiyi's sweater is on inside out and Zin's hair looks interestingly windswept; the two of them must have sprinted here all the way from a shift organizing inventory. Korra stands tall on the hood of a jeep; if the rusty metal and duct tape on one of the headlights is any indication, it's probably been around since the last war. As always, Zhu Li stands at attention on Korra's right side, although she's standing on the ground and shivering a little underneath Varrick's old overcoat.
Once everyone has arrived, Korra says, "Thank you all for coming so quickly, guys, and in return I'll make this as snappy as possible." Interested, Kai pays closer attention. "Sergeant Moon and I were recently contacted by reporters from United Republic Today, who are currently in the process of making a documentary special about the war and those who have and continue to fight in it. As we have the highest effectiveness rating out of the other mobile army hospitals, they asked us if they could come by for a week or two and collect film and interview you all."
That gets everyone buzzing. Everyone knows that United Republic Today has been all over the war since it had started three years ago, but the thought of them coming to the 6152nd is a little hard to picture. And who would they be sending anyway?
"Naturally, we agreed," Korra continues, instantly getting everyone's attention again. "The reporters and their crew have just arrived, and they'll be staying in the VIP tent until further notice. I expect all of you to be on your best behavior." With a grand gesture to her right, she says, "And now it is my pleasure to introduce Yui-Sai Fong and Chen Nanuq."
The crowd parts to reveal a group of five people, all of whom are bundled up in the warmest clothing this side of the Earth Kingdom has to offer. Yui-Sai Fong and Chen Nanuq are at the front of the group, and after listening to their war broadcasts for nearly two years, he's surprised that they look almost precisely like he'd pictured them.
Yui-Sai Fong is clearly of Fire Nation descent—amber eyes, black hair, pale skin and all. She's got her hair tied back in a high ponytail and she's wearing wire-rimmed glasses that keep slipping down her nose. She's in her mid-fifties for sure and has this gleam in her eyes that makes her look like she wants to analyze and interview everyone on this side of the war. She and Varrick would have probably gotten along great.
Chen Nanuq, in comparison, is the only one thoroughly dressed for an Earth Kingdom winter—everyone else is wearing that flimsy crap that the Fire Nation manufactures, the stuff that'll freeze people's skin off once it gets below zero. He's got dark skin like Korra's and his hair is in a warrior's wolf tail but his eyes aren't the typical Water Tribe blue, they're brown. Must be mixed-race, but it's not polite to ask. Kai guesses he's pushing sixty years old. He's got a journal clutched in his gloved hands that looks ready to fall apart from overuse and a pen tucked behind his ear.
"Thank you for having us, Major Iluak," Yui-Sai says, brushing a bit of her hair behind her left ear. To everyone, she grins and says, "I know we got introduced already but I'm Yui-Sai Fong, this is my partner Chen Nanuq, and our camera crew. From left to right, there's Qiao Tsong, Mala Saymi, and Tamil Garkan." Each of the camera crew wave in turn. "We're real excited to be here and we promise we won't get in your way too much."
"Nothing much to get in the way of what with the truce," Chen says, rolling his eyes fondly at his companion, and she sticks her tongue out at him. "Mature, Yui-Sai, very mature."
Korra stifles a snort and instantly composes herself when Zhu Li shoots her a look that plainly says really. "Uh, if you and your camera crew could please follow me to the VIP tent—that'll be where you're staying—and you can start shooting once you get settled in, if you like. Sergeant Igoru, when will lunch be served?"
The sergeant checks his watch. "It's heading on one o'clock now, so we can start serving as soon as Captain Gyatso clears her stuff out from the mess tent."
Jinora blushes bright red. "Sorry about that. I was going to as soon as I finished but then we all had to rush over here and—"
"It's fine, really," Korra says, waving away the issue. "Just get it done, alright?"
"Sure. Of course."
"Thanks, Jin. Alright, you're all dismissed."
The crowd starts to disperse, most of them heading back to their tents where it's warm, but Kai stops short of following Jinora to help her and Opal clean up the mess tent. "I'll be there in just a second," he says to her. "Just gotta ask them something."
"Alright. See you in a bit." She presses a quick kiss to his cheek and walks off with Opal to the mess tent, hands shoved deep into the pockets of her jacket. Kai touches his cheek carefully, like he's afraid too much pressure will rub the kiss off, and can't help but sigh happily. Sometimes it still feels like a dream.
He approaches Yui-Sai Fong and Chen Nanuq, feeling a little starstruck. "Excuse me?" he says, and the two of them turn to face him. "Hi. I'm Kai Wen, head surgeon. I hail from Yu Dao and we—well, my dad and I listen to your broadcasts all the time. Not just since the war started, but before that when you were interviewing the Earth Queen and—uh. I was wondering if I could have your autographs."
"Of course!" Chen rips a sheet out of his journal and takes the pen out from behind his ear. "Who should we make it out to?"
"My dad, please. His name's Yung—that's Y-U-N-G." Yung's going to shit kittens over this, he thinks with glee as Chen and Yui-Sai scribble out a message and sign their names underneath it. Taking it and placing it in his pocket, he says, "Thanks a bunch. Really appreciate it."
"No problem," Yui-Sai answers. "Say," her eyes fly down to the insignia embroidered on his uniform for a moment, "Captain Wen, would you mind telling us a bit about the medical team here?"
Kai's kind of taken aback that they've asked him instead of Korra or Zhu Li, but he supposes that since he's the head surgeon—and had introduced himself as such—he may as well. "Sure. There's me—I'm a general surgeon and got elected head surgeon a few months after I got here. There's Major Mako Lieng, he's also a general surgeon and he's career army and second in command of the camp. There's Captain Mitali Hema—she's our orthopedic surgeon and sometimes does double-time as our resident anesthesiologist. And then there's Jinora. Captain Jinora Gyatso. My girlfriend. She's our thoracic surgeon."
Yui-Sai smiles at him. "How long have you two been together?"
"Few months." Kai smiles at the thought too. He could probably ramble about Jinora all day but they'd asked about the medical staff and that's the information he'll give them. (He can always brag about his girlfriend later.) "We used to have some other doctors, but…well, we lost them to war. Captain Isamu Chouko and Major Kuzon Meng were here back when the war first started, but Captain Chouko got killed by a patient and Major Meng got sent home. I never met them, but they always sounded like good guys." He exhales. "Our old commanding officer, Colonel Varrick—he got discharged but his helicopter got shot down halfway over the Si Wong Desert." It still hurts to talk about Varrick but at least the wound left by his departure is starting to heal. "Mitali's his replacement."
"I'm sorry to hear of his loss," says Chen, and Yui-Sai nods too.
"We all were. None more than Zhu Li—she and him were together for, well, forever. She was real torn up about it." He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck absentmindedly. "But before that—before Jinora came here—we had another thoracic surgeon named Skoochy Nakamura. Uh, his first name was Shun but he hated it and always went by Skoochy. He was my best friend, but…he was killed by a New Freedom Fighter and died on the table." Some part of Kai would always consider Skoochy's death his fault, no matter how many times it was said otherwise.
Chen looks up from his journal, eyes softening sympathetically. "Sounds like you've had a lot of ups and downs here, Captain Wen."
Kai snorts. "More than any rollercoaster on Ember Island, that's for sure."
Yui-Sai laughs. "Mind if we quote you on that?"
"Nah, not at all." Kai rocks back and forth on his heels, trying to think about what he can say about the nurses. "As for the rest of the medical staff—well, the nurses are awesome. They don't get enough credit for all the hard work they do. Korra's in charge of them and she's awesome, but she's career army and runs a tight ship. Opal Beifong's her second in command; she's great with our younger patients and just got engaged to Captain Bolin Lieng, Mako's brother. He's the camp psychiatrist. Kiyi Nakahara's quiet but she's gotten a lot more talkative and relaxed over our time here and she's particularly handy when it comes to appendectomies. Zin Yamato is swell; he's dating Mitali and sometimes works as our resident anesthesiologist whenever Mitali or Bolin are busy, but he's a great nurse. He gets a lot of shit from time to time for being a male nurse, though."
"No more than Captains Hema and Gyatso do for being female doctors, I'm sure," says Yui-Sai, and Kai nods.
"Right. All of 'em take it in stride. Let's see. Uh. Mai Chenguanxi and Sora Tsen and Xióng Yali are the biggest gossips in the camp but they're really sweet. And they're really good nurses too—you'd never think they'd be anything but serious if you only saw them in the OR. Everyone here is a credit to their profession. We all work hard and we're good at what we do."
Yui-Sai and Chen exchange looks with each other. "Well, Captain Wen," says Chen, "thanks for giving us a rundown. We'll be by shooting B-roll shots later and I think we'll start the interview process once we're done with that. Mind telling the medical staff that?"
"No problem." Kai snaps off a quick salute at them. "Hope you get settled in alright."
And with that, he jogs over to the mess tent and helps Jinora and Opal clear up the rest of their supplies from Dìbātiān de Jùhuì. Opal leaves to go inform Sergeant Igoru that he can start serving lunch now, and Kai wraps an arm around Jinora and pulls her close, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"Kai!" The tips of her ears go bright red. "What was that for?"
"Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you."
Jinora rolls her eyes, but beneath the blasé façade he can see that she's genuinely happy by his words. "When did you become such a smooth talker?"
His smile widens. This, right here, right now, is perfect. "Learned from the best, Jin."
Over the next few days, Kai grows accustomed to always seeing Yui-Sai Fong and Chen Nanuq and their camera crew around the camp. They've been filming B-roll of the mess tent and postop (even interviewing the few soldiers in there before they'd been shipped back to the front) and the Officer's Club. Sergeant Kuji and Corporal Tikka take the crew on a tour of the nearby village, and Chen comes back wearing no less than twelve trinkets from Mrs. Sesi's shop. Sometimes they ask the doctors and nurses questions about schedules and food and the like, but other than that they've remained quiet. According to Zhu Li, though, the reporters are planning to sit everyone down separately and interview them once they've got enough footage for their special. That's fine by him.
On Wanmas Eve, the enlisted men and women plan a party in the Officer's Club that's meant to last from dusk 'til dawn. Kai's thankful that Jinora doesn't celebrate Wanmas because he's still putting the finishing touches on her present and plans to give it to her on New Year's Eve instead. It sounds like it'll be a lot of fun but before any of that fun can occur, Korra sends Zhu Li to go get the doctors and send them to her office. Whatever that conversation is, the nurses have already suffered through it and refuse to reveal what Korra's going to tell them. Even Xióng, who's the worst secret-keeper in camp, won't say a word. That's how Kai knows it's serious.
Kai's still wondering why exactly he, Mitali, Jinora, Mako, Bolin, and Zhu Li have been called in here today when Korra calls the room to attention. "Okay, listen up," she says, instantly cutting to the chase. "I have something to tell you and I don't want to hear so much as a laugh, a giggle or a chuckle from anybody."
Kai elbows Jinora. "You hear that, Jin?" he says, grinning slightly as he wags his finger at her. Jinora rolls her eyes at him and elbows him back. "Not a word."
Korra eyes them all like she's half scared they're going to run out of there screaming any second. "Subject of this meeting is…the army." She looks almost expectantly at those gathered in the room. Mako makes a sound of interest but the rest of the doctors all sit quietly. Zhu Li just raises an eyebrow. To herself, Korra says quietly, "So far, so good." To them in her regular voice, she says, "I've been directed by I-Corps to address you about the possibility of making the army your career."
As though they'd all received a cue from the heavens, Kai, Jinora, Bolin and Mitali all burst out laughing. Kai's sides hurt by the time he's done and Bolin has to wipe his eyes on the handkerchief that Opal had given him for his birthday last year to quell the tears of mirth. Korra just crosses her arms and waits for them to be finished. Oh Spirits, she'd been serious.
Kai decides to speak up first. "I'm sorry, Korra, but if I held that in my teeth would have exploded!"
Jinora's a bit more diplomatic, but only just. "Come on, you have to be kidding!"
"Yeah, Korra," adds Bolin while wiping his eyes again. "Haven't we already spent enough time at the army's beck and call? I don't know about you but I'm a bit tired of the constant shelling."
"Guys, please," Mitali says evenly, looking at them with disgust. Kai knows his friend well enough to see that her look of disgust is feigned. "It's impolite to laugh at seniles."
Kai almost breaks a rib trying not to laugh. Jinora isn't so successful; she stifles an explosive bark of laughter in her wrist while Bolin buries his face in his handkerchief again. Korra isn't fooled by Mitali's act. "What did you say?" she snaps, her tone showing that she means business.
"Loss of hearing is the first sign," Bolin says sotto voce, and everyone starts laughing all over again. Korra doesn't look particularly impressed by their antics—but then again, she really should have seen this reaction coming.
"Will you guys keep quiet?" Mako retorts, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm actually interested in what Korra has to say." Even Bolin rolls his eyes at that. It's quintessential Mako Lieng: doctor, career army, and supreme ass-kisser. "Go on, Korra."
"Thank you, Mako," Korra says with a grin in his direction. Kai begins making kissing noises and without even looking in his direction, she says, "Blow one more kiss, Kai, and those lips will never walk again. I'm sure Jinora won't be pleased with that." Jinora blushes, but Kai's show of zipping up his lips and throwing away the key sends her and Bolin into hysterics. "Oh for Raava's sake, enough."
"Come on, that's enough," says Zhu Li, finally speaking up for the first time since entering the room. "I'd like to hear this too." Kai and Mitali both make kissing noises in her direction. "Oh, fuck off!" Just the fact that Zhu Li had used profanity makes them all shut up from shock. Even Korra looks slightly surprised. Zhu Li flushes bright red, looking down at her shoes. "Major, please continue."
It takes Korra a few seconds to get her head back in the game. "Um…thanks, Zhu Li." She nods several times to herself. "Now I think you can all admit that the army presents unique opportunities that cannot be had anywhere else…"
"Fair point," Mitali says to Jinora. "What other job lets you die for a living?"
"Certainly a once in a lifetime experience," Jinora replies in the same vein. Bolin snickers from behind his handkerchief.
Korra isn't willing to be deterred. "The army provides a chance to see the world—"
"Scenic tours of all the great battlefields," Kai remarks. Even Mako snorts at that. Korra looks ready to go to blows and Kai raises his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Look, Korra, I'm sorry but my opinion on the matter's clear. Why do we need to consider an army for a career if the war's supposed to be ending soon?"
"Because like it or not, there's always going to be another war," says Korra. She shrugs, defeated. "And here I thought that you'd like to support your country but it seems that I'm mistaken." She holds up a hand as Jinora and Bolin start apologizing for their laughter. "Nah, don't worry. I should've expected that as a response."
"Well, you gave it your best shot," Kai says, standing up to pat Korra on the shoulder.
She rolls her eyes fondly at him. "Thanks, Captain Wen."
Mitali raises her hand like she's in school, and Korra calls on her. "Did you ask the nurses the same thing?"
"Yep," Korra says, popping the p. "And even Kiyi laughed in my face." Bolin's handkerchief makes a reappearance. "Thank you all for coming, and don't let the door hit you on the way out."
Zin is waiting for Mitali, Kai, and Jinora at the bar, and a smirk immediately spreads across his face once they make their way through the crowd—a lot more extensive than Kai had been expecting—and dodge Yui-Sai Fong and Chen Nanuq's cameras and sit down at the bar. "So," he says innocently, "had a good talk?"
"Fantastic one, thanks," Kai answers. He takes some pretzels from the bowl on the counter and shoves them into his mouth, talking around them. "Thanks for the warning, man. I thought we were friends."
Zin holds up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Hey, if none of us had any advance knowledge, then neither should you. It's only fair." His smirk fades to an expression of sheepish embarrassment. "Though I wish I'd known so I wouldn't be embarrassed now about laughing in Korra's face."
Kai snorts. "Don't feel bad, we all did it."
"Honestly, does anyone in the unit want to stay with the army?" Jinora asks. "I mean, what good has come out of it?"
"Well," Mitali says fairly, looking around at all of them, "we did all end up meeting each other." Zin puts an arm around her shoulders and she leans as close to him as she can without falling off her barstool. "I'd say that's a good thing."
Jinora and Kai look at each other, and his heart flutters like he's a heroine in a yuan dreadful when she puts her left hand on top of his, thankfully free of Akash Chow's engagement ring. "Yeah," he says. "I'm inclined to agree."
There's a sudden screech of microphone feedback and everyone in the Officer's Club turns around to see Corporal Tikka holding a microphone in her hand. She's perched up on Sergeant Kuji's shoulders so she can see over the crowd and looks very happy to see everyone. "Glad to see all of you made it!" she says with a wave, nearly dropping the microphone as a result. Sergeant Kuji rolls his eyes fondly. "I intend to keep partying until the alcohol runs out or the armistice breaks, whichever comes first. So have a good time and happy Wanmas Eve!"
True to Corporal Tikka's word, the party lasts through the night and goes well into the morning. Everyone's drinking and eating and laughing and having a great time. Yui-Sai and Chen share cool stories about their adventures in the Fire Nation and the Water Tribe, and Kai eagerly asks questions about what it had been like to interview the Earth Queen. Zin gives Mitali an emerald necklace as her Wanmas gift and she responds by kissing him so fiercely that several people cough and turn away. Mitali's gift to Zin is a new watch, because his old one had stopped working when a soldier had puked on it during a triage session. (Kai's just glad that both of those gifts are not ones that he's planned to give to Jinora because he doesn't want her to think that he'd copied someone else's idea.) Bolin disappears with Opal for at least an hour before returning with windswept hair and lipstick smudges on his neck. Kiyi blushes bright red enough to rival the flags of the Fire Nation when Mako shyly presents her with a gift, a pair of earrings, but it's nothing compared to Mako's expression when she kisses him on the cheek for it.
Kai is so caught up in the excitement of everything that's going on that he doesn't even notice a little slip of a man enter the club at three in the morning until Korra yells at Bolin to shut off the jukebox so she can hear, shocking the man so badly that he trips over his own feet.
"My apologies, Corporal Gopan," Korra says, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. "I didn't mean to startle you."
The corporal looks slightly intimidated but nods as if to show there's no harm done. "Quite alright, ma'am." Much to Kai's surprise, he speaks with a northern accent—and judging by the look on Mitali's face she recognizes the dialect too. He's from their neck of the woods; probably not from either of their towns because neither he nor Mitali recognize Gopan, but definitely close by. It's always nice to see a fellow Earth Kingdom citizen. "I normally would have sent this package directly to your unit's PX," he pats the bag that he's got slung over his shoulder, and for the first time Kai notices a bulky brown package sticking out of the top of it, "but when I saw what it was I thought I'd deliver it personally."
"Well, uh, that's really kind of you." Korra smiles and Kai can't help but relax. Even if this is a little unexpected, he likes watching people get packages from home—the joy on their faces is truly indescribable. "Who's it for?"
"Someone named Moon, ma'am. Sergeant Zhu Li Moon."
The person in question turns around to face Gopan from where she'd been having a conversation with Sora, looking mildly confused. Kai feels the same way. Zhu Li hardly ever gets packages from home. In fact, if it weren't for her occasional stories of having cousins in the United Republic he'd have thought that she was an orphan. But she strides through the crowd, which parts respectfully to let her through, and comes to a stop beside Korra and Gopan.
"This is Sergeant Moon, our company clerk," Korra says, even though it's obvious. "Zhu Li, this is Corporal Gopan, he's with the Quartermaster Corps and he's got a package for you."
Her brows furrow. "For me?"
"Yes ma'am," says Gopan. He takes the package out of his bag and tucks it under his arm; it's about the size of a tissue box but Zhu Li looks at it like she's afraid it'll bite her. He holds out a clipboard and a pen. "Sign here, please." After she does, he gives her the package. "This has been sitting in my office for almost seven months now, ma'am, and I've gotta say I'm real happy that you can finally get it. The purchaser made it clear that you had to receive it on Wanmas otherwise I'd be sorry, so if you could send something to my boss that says I did, that'd be real appreciated…"
Kai tunes out Gopan's rambling and inches closer to see Zhu Li slowly opening up the package. Gopan's got an excited grin on his face, Korra looks curious, and Zhu Li looks as stoic as ever but Kai sees that there's a gleam of excitement in her eyes as well. Who sent that to her and what is it?
She takes out a note and a box and hands the box to Korra so she can hold one thing at a time. "Am I meant to read the note first, Corporal?"
"Yes indeed." Now he's bouncing around like a kid in need of the bathroom. "And you've also got to read it out loud."
Zhu Li looks like she'd rather do anything but that and Kai can't blame her, but her curiosity wins out and she does. "'Dear Zhu Li,'" she reads. "'I know you aren't a fan of public displays of affection but I thought that the contents of this package would be incomplete without this note. I want you to know that you are the butter to my bread and the breath to my life, and I treasure every moment I spend with you. So I thought I'd chance asking if I could extend the time I spend with you and vice versa.'" She looks up, confused again. "There's no signature."
Gopan doesn't answer; for some reason he keeps looking around like he's searching for someone and there's a dawning realization in Kai's gut that something is about to go horribly wrong.
Korra decides to speak up first, handing the box to Zhu Li and moving over to Gopan. "What is it, Corporal?"
"Well—Major, I thought—the sender said that he was supposed to appear at the end of the note and—"
"What on earth are you talking about?"
Gopan swallows noisily as he glances between Zhu Li opening the box and Korra. "He called us maybe five or six months ago and said that he was getting sent home but he was organizing a surprise for his girlfriend on Wanmas and left me specific instructions and—"
Zhu Li suddenly lets out a strange, strangled gasp and goes milk-pale, eyes fixed to the contents of the box. She's trembling all over and her jaw is clenched tight and looks like a slight breeze could knock her down. Alarmed and worried that she might keel over, Kai rushes over to her side but when he gets a glimpse of what's inside the box he feels bile burning the back of his throat.
It's a wedding ring. Golden band with diamond flanked by two rubies. Small, delicate, perfect. And judging by the gasps all around them, they've all caught a glimpse of it too.
Zhu Li's knees suddenly buckle from under her and Kai barely catches her in time.
"Corporal Gopan." Now Korra's voice is low and dangerous, even scarier than when she'd been shouting at Lieutenant Saja for giving Kai a death certificate. "Who the hell sent Zhu Li this?"
"A m-man named Varrick, ma'am," Gopan stammers. "Uh, Iknik Blackstone Varrick." A hush falls over the room. Zhu Li is still shaking. Mako comes over to help Kai get her back to her feet. "W-why?"
No one bothers to answer.
Varrick had planned to propose to Zhu Li. He'd wanted to marry her. He'd thought that he would have more time. And even after he had gotten his discharge papers he had planned ahead to be with Zhu Li again on Wanmas.
But no one plans for their life to end.
Just when they'd all started to move past Varrick's death, this had to happen. The combination of anger and throat-clearing grief makes him want to simultaneously punch something and cry, but he holds back.
Zhu Li has no such restraint. With strength he hadn't known she had, she tears out of his grip but she trips and falls to her knees. Mako helps her up but she collapses again, and the hyperventilating and sheen of sweat can only mean—
In a sudden, violent heave, Zhu Li throws up, and Kai has never wanted to be wrong so much in his life.
Mako pats Zhu Li on the back, murmuring soothing words while he and Bolin ease her into a sitting position, the latter throwing his jacket over the vomit to hide it from sight. Kai's heart constricts when she starts to weep, not even bothering to cover her face. The ring box is clenched tightly in her hand.
"Get out," Korra snarls, and Gopan doesn't need to be told twice. Once he's gone, she turns to Yui-Sai Fong and Chen Nanuq and says, "Far be it from me to tell you how to film your special but if this ends up in it I'll kill you."
The two reporters nod quickly, as does every member of the camera crew. Clearly after all that's happened none of them want to get on Korra's bad side. "Of course not, Major Iluak."
"Good. Sergeant Igoru, go get the cleaning supplies. Mako, Bolin, help me get Zhu Li to my office."
No one feels much like partying after that. Corporal Tikka and Sergeant Kuji take it upon themselves to help clean up and shoo everyone out while Sergeant Igoru rushes out to go and get the cleaning supplies. Bolin and Mako gently lead a broken-looking Zhu Li to Korra's office, where Korra will no doubt call Corporal Gopan's boss and demand a better explanation. Kai turns to Jinora, who still looks horrified at this turn of events. "Let's go back to the Swamp," he says quietly. "It's been a long night."
Jinora nods.
Once they're back in the Swamp, Kai wastes no time in pouring them both glasses of gin. She raises hers in a toast, and he follows suit. "To Varrick," she says.
Around a lump in his throat, he says, "To Varrick."
They drink in silence, Kai trying not to think about Varrick eagerly planning to propose to Zhu Li and keeping it a secret from everyone else, until Jinora speaks again. "You alright?"
"M'okay." At her incredulous look, he says, "I am, Jinora. Really. I'm just worried about Zhu Li. I know what it's like to, well, to have your grief brought up like that."
Her expression softens and she moves from her cot over to his, sitting close to him. "Do you mean—" She stops, biting her lip for a moment before saying, "Is this about Skoochy?"
Kai's exhale turns into a puff of cold mist a few inches away from his face. Earth Kingdom winters are honestly the spawn of Vaatu. "Yeah," he answers, casting his thoughts back like a fishing line through time and memory. "When—when Skoochy died, I—well. I didn't take it well, but I knew I had to get my shit together for the good of the unit. So I played pranks and joked around like the two of us used to. But on Skoochy's birthday we had a party to remember him and I had bottled up my emotions so tight that I just…I snapped in front of everyone and said they had no right to be happy because Skoochy was dead and I—I started crying." He clasps his hands together tightly. He'd hated himself for that show of weakness because for weeks afterward they had all walked on eggshells around him, even Varrick and Korra. "I got better, though."
There's silence again. "I wish I could have met him," Jinora says.
He snorts. "Me too." Skoochy and Jinora would've probably gotten along great. They would've bonded over teasing him and their respective careers as chest surgeons. Skoochy would've probably seen her as a younger sister or something and would've teased Kai endlessly over his feelings for her. Maybe he would've even had the guts to do what Kai couldn't do at that dinner and punch Akash Chow in the face. "He would've liked you."
"I think I would've liked him too." Jinora puts a hand on his shoulder. "You know I'm here for you, right?"
He breathes out. "Yeah, Jin. I know."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
The next few days go on like nothing had happened. Zhu Li refuses to speak to anyone about her display of grief and Korra tells everyone to leave her alone so she can work through it in her own way. (Kai had, on the other hand, been present to hear Korra yelling at Corporal Gopan's commanding officer over his lack of oversight and it had been one of the greatest things he'd ever heard.) Yui-Sai Fong and Chen Nanuq start the lengthy process of interviewing the medical staff and a few of the corpsmen, namely Sergeant Kuji, Corporal Tikka, and Zhu Li. Kai sits in the Swamp for about an hour and half while the reporters and their crew film him from different angles and ask him questions about his family, the war, and his relationship with Jinora, the latter of which he doesn't mind talking about at all. By the time New Year's Eve comes along, they've finished with all of their interviews and are ready to edit all of the footage together.
"I think that it'll be ready for worldwide release at the start of the New Year," Chen explains. "We just have to get it over to our editors and they'll fix it up."
"Our PR team at United Republic Today will take care of the advertising," says Yui-Sai. "We'd help if we could but we have to get over to Sejong-Daero to film the peace talks."
"Yeah, us and every other film crew in the Four Nations."
Instead of being in the mess tent or the Officer's Club, Korra decides to break tradition and rents out Luoxi's for New Year's Eve. Kai wholeheartedly approves of this plan because the bar is two times bigger than the Officer's Club and that means all sixty of them (sixty-five plus the reporters and their crew) won't get uncomfortably squished next to each other in a room that smells like beer and stale peanuts.
Luoxi, the owner of the establishment, had apparently taken a leaf out of Corporal Tikka's book and decorated the bar with the focus of a United Forces general. There's streamers and confetti everywhere and a fully stocked bar and food prepared by Sunna Yang, the village's best cook, and all of that makes him happy.
Everyone even takes the time to dress up—Kai puts on his best pair of trousers and a button-down and Jinora nearly makes him speechless when she leaves the Swamp wearing a brown dress that perfectly matches her eyes, with mini eyelets and thin straps. He's always known that she's beautiful but this…wow. "You look amazing," he tells her.
"Thanks." She blushes. "You don't look too shabby yourself."
He offers her his arm. "Shall we, Captain Gyatso?"
"We shall, Captain Wen."
After dinner—which is one of the best meals that Kai's had in months—and the dancing starts to dwindle down at close to midnight, Bolin starts up a drinking song from his position on top of one of the tables. "Take up your bottle and take up your gun," he sings. "Forget the sorrows, the grief and the pain; come sunrise tomorrow start over again."
Korra jumps up on the table next to him and throws an arm around the beaming psychiatrist. "All in good fun, lads, all in good fun!"
Much to Kai's surprise, Mako climbs up to join his brother and his friend. Kiyi's standing with the other nurses and giggling at his antics like everyone else in the bar. "Get yourself a partner before they sound the drums; catch me, my lass, my beautiful saint—"
"Catch me, my maiden, or I'm gonna faint!" Bolin punctuates this statement by pretending to fall and Korra and Mako catch him in time while everyone laughs and Opal rolls her eyes fondly at her fiancé.
Sora and Mai lead the nurses in the next verse. "The war's mighty foolish to you and I, for those who give orders aren't the ones to die. And the lassies say that they do not drink—"
"But they keep all their wine beneath the sink," Jinora sings. That surprises him; he hadn't known that she knew this song.
But he pulls her close, singing, "Ohhh, it's all in good fun, lads, all in good fun!" with everyone else. Even Luoxi, who usually stays out of these songs, is singing along and clapping. Maybe it's just the holiday spirit.
And then the biggest surprise of the night arrives: Zhu Li stands up to sing the next verse. "Miles and miles from where I belong, and here I stand singing some damned fool song." Her voice is quiet but strong, and Kai's respect for her grows once he remembers that she'd used to sing this song with Varrick. Spirits, what a brave woman. "Raava, Raava, what a tragic tale, of sorrow and mourning and the strong smell of ale."
Corporal Tikka and Sergeant Kuji conduct the corpsmen, and Kai wonders if the watery gleam in Zhu Li's eyes is real or a trick of the light. "We'll carry our rifles together and fall, we'll go out together or not ever at all, but 'til we're called home at a quarter to one, oh lads, oh lads, it's all in good fun."
The end of the song—two verses later—brings a momentous round of applause from all sixty-six occupants of Luoxi's Bar and Grill, and before Kai can ask Jinora to accompany him outside for their planned gift exchange, Jinora takes the initiative and does it first.
It's cold out but thankfully the winter jackets that Zhu Li had ordered from I-Corps months ago do the trick and Kai's shivering is at a minimum. He's got her gift tucked under his arm and she's got his behind her back. He's been doing gift exchanges for most of his life but this—this is exciting. Very exciting. He can't wait until he shows her what he got her.
"I'm not that great at choosing presents," Jinora admits after a moment's pause. "I keep wanting to buy everyone books."
"What's wrong with books? Books are great."
"They're great for those who actually enjoy reading, Kai."
"Hey," he protests, though he isn't offended at all by her words. "I enjoy reading."
"Really?" Jinora raises an eyebrow. "What was the last book you even read?"
Kai shrugs sheepishly. "Does one of Yung's letters count? Because I swear from the way he goes on about the flowers in his garden that it could be an excerpt from a really long novel." Jinora laughs, and he says, "In all seriousness, I do like to read. I just didn't learn until I was pretty old and I don't have much time."
"That's fair," she says, smiling at him, and then she hands him a wrapped package. "Happy late Wanmas."
After tearing into it as best as he could with another package under his arm, what he's left with is one of the nicest books he'd ever seen, especially considering that most of his and Yung's books are ragged and torn after succumbing to the pressures of time. It's hardcover and smooth to the touch and the title says—
His heart thuds to a halt in his chest.
You Never Hear the Bullet, it reads in careful lettering. By Skoochy Nakamura.
"I know that you never got to read Skoochy's manuscript before you sent it to his mother," Jinora says while he's trying to get his thoughts in order. And that's true. Despite calling it a fascinating thing, he'd never had the chance to read it because Skoochy had insisted he could read it once he was done, and after Skoochy's death he hadn't wanted to because the wound had been too fresh. Skoochy's mother had appreciated the gesture, but there were some days when he really missed his friend that he regretted sending it away without reading it. "So I wrote Mrs. Nakamura and asked if she could make a copy and send it to me, and she did a couple weeks ago."
When had he mentioned his regrets about Skoochy's book to Jinora? It must've been over one of their conversations. There'd been so many over the last nine months he's forgotten what he'd told Jinora. What Jinora knew about him.
He traces the cover with his finger, fighting the lump in his throat. "I…I don't know what to say," he manages. She'd written to Skoochy's mother on his behalf. Raava, he loves her so much. "I—Jinora. Thank you." He hugs her and holds her tightly to him. "Thank you so much." Before he can fall into a litany of thanking her over and over again, he remembers his present to her and hastily pulls back. "Oh! Right. I've got something for you too. Uh, close your eyes."
She giggles. "Alright," she says, complying to his request.
Kai places the gift into her hands—he hadn't bothered wrapping it as he'd been too excited to see her reaction—and steps back, saying, "Okay, open them."
She opens her eyes, and once she gets a good look at what's in her hands her jaw drops. It's a photo album—a nice one, ordered from an Earth Kingdom catalogue and everything—and inside are pictures of the two of them from their time together here. There's pictures of them from the time that they'd broken the world record with Varrick's Satomobile, from meals in the mess tent, from dances at the Officer's Club, from their first date that had gone terribly wrong but had ended wonderfully. He'd even written a paragraph beneath each one explaining the where, when, and what so years from now they wouldn't forget the circumstances.
"Our relationship didn't really start under the best of circumstances," he says once the silence has gone on for a considerable amount of time. "But I still want to remember every moment I've spent with you here—because they've been some of the best moments of my life." His face falls and anxiety starts to wreak havoc on his system at the shocked look on her face. "Do—do you like it?"
"Like it? Kai, this is—it's so—I love it." To show him that she means it, she pulls him into a kiss that makes him feel like he's going to fall through the earth or float into the clouds, and all of that romantic cosmic shit that books are always going on about. "I love you."
He grins at her. "I love you too."
Before he can say something else—maybe kiss her again—the doors of Luoxi's are pushed open and everyone comes running outside. Bolin's at the head of the group and he's shouting louder than all of them: "Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven!"
Jinora rolls her eyes as they're jostled by the medical staff and the enlisted men and women, but she's laughing and beaming brighter than the moon above them so he knows that she doesn't really mind. "Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!"
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"
Korra blows on a trumpet that she'd gotten from who knows where and everyone starts cheering and throwing handfuls of confetti into the air. Kai picks up Jinora and swings her around until both of them are laughing so hard that he can hardly breathe, and he trips over his own two feet and sends them sprawling to the ground in a heap. He can feel her heart beating through her clothes and her smile sends shivers down his spine. "Happy New Year, Kai," she says.
"Happy New Year, Jinora," he replies, and he means it. Even everything that's happened last year—Skoochy's death, Varrick's death, Jinora getting shot, him getting taken hostage—he's not worried for what may come.
Whatever 191 AG will bring, Kai knows he and Jinora will get through it together.