The sheets were his own! He was wrapped in them more tightly than he had ever been but they were his sheets. And they were on his bed too! He looked around and saw the bed curtains Mrs. Dilbar had stolen. Everything was as it was.
"I will remember this," he said falling out of bed "the past, the present, and the future, yes. And it is all because of you Hiroshi. If you can hear me I am on my knees. Thank you. I hope you find your daughter. She's happy and beautiful and between you and me I think that general Iroh has a little bit of a crush."
He jumped up from the floor at the sound of music outside his window. People were singing outside he saw when he opened his window. He saw a boy passing the house and shouted to him.
"Hey kid what day is it?"
"Today?" The boy looked at him like he was crazy "it's the Winter Solistice!" And looking out at the spirit lights that danced across the sky Varrick would believe it.
"The Solstice is today. I haven't missed it. The spirits did it all in one night. Well duh they did, they can do whatever they want."
"You alright up there?"
"I haven't been this alright in years!" He laughed, "Tell you what kid, you know that prized turkey in the window down the street?"
"The one as big as me?"
"Yes that one! I want you to run down there and buy it for me." He disappeared into the house for a moment and returned to toss a bag of money to the kid. "Keep the change if you want. Bring it back here in a half hour and I'll give you a hundred bucks for it."
"Yes sir!" The boy shot down the street like a rocket. Inside the house while he waited Varick danced and sang songs of the Solstice to himself. Finally the boy returned and Varrick paid him all that he promised and a bit more. It was the largest turkey Varrick had ever seen. If he had tried to stand it on its legs they would have snapped under the weight of it.
Varrick gave them instructions to take it to Bolin's apartment. They were not to tell him where it was from or who had gifted it. It was a gift and nothing more.
And when the boy and the turkey was gone Varrick dressed himself in his best and took to the streets. There was almost a skip in his step as he strolled with the giddiness of a drunkard. The people did not even shy away from him today. Instead they waved and wished him a happy Winter Solstice. And he would wave and wish them the same.
He passed two men in the street, the same that he had seen in his office the day before and he stopped them.
"Wait, wait, wait," he said, "I know you did not just walk by me without saying happy Winter Solstice did you?" The two seemed almost stunned, "well let me do it for the both of you then. Happy Winter Solstice, an one to you too! Now I'm hoping you two did well with this charity or whatever your running?"
"Actually we did very well and I-"
"Great but I hope you haven't stop talking orders because have I got a deal for you," and he pulled the man Closer and whispered in his ear. The man's eyes were wide by the time he finished.
"You can't be serious?"
"When have I ever not been serious? You know what don't answer that. Happy Winter Solstice to you all ha ha!" And with a spin Varrick danced away from the pair of them. Through the whole city he celebrated. He wasn't even afraid to go into the dragon flatsbourough. And while he was there he sang with the carolers and talked with the street merchants as though they were old friends.
By the end of the day he stood at the front of an old and heavy door. In truth it was his own door. He owned the property. Staying inside this well off house though was his nephew, his wife, their very young child, and Varrick's aging parents. Having a key he opened the door and stepped inside.
He heard his family playing a game where they were guessing what animal he had been pretending to be. He was not an elephant rhino or elephant koi or turtle duck or fire ferret. But just as he entered the room he heard one guess
"I know! It's your uncle Verrik!"
All eyes turned as they heard him enter. Their faces fell with instant regret at what they had said in front of him. He could not help but remember how they laughed when he wasn't around. He felt his hands grip the lapels of his jacket nervously.
"That was," he started slowly, like a child afraid of a parent, "that was funny. What you did there. Look I know I'm not the partier I used to be. But you know I was thinking maybe, maybe I could stay with you for the Solstice. If you'll have me."
There was only a moment of silence followed by a roar of laughter. The family rushed to him and hugged him. The infant pulled his hair. His father slapped his back hard enough to force out a cough. And his nephew hugged him looking as bright as a star.
And through the crowd he saw her. She sat spine straight and proper on the couch with a teacup in one hand and saucer in the other. Zhu Li watched her cup intently even as he approached her and knelt at her feet. He had never imagined her eyes had looked so beautiful. For so many moments there were no words. His heart caught in his throat and his eyes saw nothing but her. His hand felt only the skin of her knee he had rested it on. And when he did finally speak it was little more than a whisper desperate to escape him.
"You are the thing that matters most to me."
The night passed with nothing but laughter and cheer and dancing. He had not dared ask but by the nights end Zhu Li had even given him a gentle kiss on his cheek. And when night came he never went to his home alone one his estate. Instead he settled himself on a couch beside a fading fire. His eyes refused to shut long into the night.
When morning came he was up and awake long before the others in his family. He wrote a note to his nephew thanking him for their company and a second to Zhu Li thanking him for what he hoped was her forgiveness. And with those letters left he headed to work.
The office was empty as he had hoped even though Bolin had promised to come in early. He set himself up in his office retrieving the sketches he had made on the eve of the Solstice. Though he sat there with his pencil the ideas refused to come. All he could focus on was Zhu Li, his nephew, Zhu Li and his nephew, Zhu Li and Bolin. How he hoped Zhu Li would visit him today. If he didn't he was sure he'd be alright. He hoped. But he still wanted her to come.
But he needed to focus. Steel his nerves. Return to the angry scowl that he was used to. Why did it seem so hard to make the face now? How had it ever been easy? He had well over an hour to practice before Bolin came stumbling in covered in snow.
"That better not be you Bolin," Varrick said angrily from his office.
"Uhh, if I said it wasn't would you be less mad?"
"I thought we agreed you'd come in early today. And now here you are almost an hour late."
"Well see you don't understand. Last night-"
"You think I care about whatever it was you did? Get in here." Bolin edged his way slowly into the room. His head was low and his shoulders slumped like a wounded puppy.
"Varrick if you would let me explain-"
"I don't remember that being anything less than Sir Varrick to you. I've had enough of you, you know. No one else in the world would stand for this kind of behavior. So as of today I am raising your salary."
Bolin had been cringing against the door frame as though he was about to be struck. When the words finally sank in he opened one eye "wait really?"
"I'm raising your salary." Varrick repeated this time reverting back to his newly minted happy self.
"Really? This is so great! Opal will be so happy and, and, and, wow just wow. Thank you so much sir!"
"No, Bolin. Thank you. You have helped me open my eyes in a good way. I'm a different man because of you and this is all I can offer you in thanks. And in addition I will do everything I can to help you're struggling family."
"Thank you so much. I'll make this worth it I promise."
And in the years to come Varrick kept every one of his promises. Zhu Li came to enjoy Varrick's company again and he appreciated hers. It was not long until a wedding was due. And little Youten received the medicine he needed and one day grew better. And Varrick became like a second father to the boy as he grew older. And on the eve of the Winter Solstice you would him every year carrying the boy on his shoulder. And the boy would lend his voice to anyone who would hear.
"God bless us, everyone."
(A/n) thanks for sitting with me through my first fic even if it's just a practice one. And it was late. So I didn't make my goal this time for speed. But I hope you all enjoyed it as well and had a merry Christmas.
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