A/N: Summary: Hakoda reflects on his ever evolving relationship with Bato before asking him to marry him.
Oddly enough, "Shut Up (and Sleep With Me)" was playing when typing the memory for "Desire".
I love this one.
I hate this one.
I both love and hate this one... AT THE SAME TIME!!
He wanted this to be perfect; that's why he spent so much time smoothing each stone and even more time carving the symbols onto them. Each symbol evoked a different memory in him, of times he spent with him- his love.
("Bato! Come on! I found this really cool cave!" And eight year old Hakoda dashed over to his friend, almost colliding into the other boy in his excitement. He took a minute to catch his breath before he grabbed Bato's arm and tugged on it, "It'll be our secret hideout!"
The cave Hakoda had found appeared to be a molarbear's doing, but had, since its initial digging, collapsed about eight foot into it, leaving a decent sized ice-cave for the boys to play in. Everyday they would meet at the entrance as soon as they could get away from their parents and they would spend the entire day talking, joking, making up outrageous tales until the sun began to set.)
He slid the first stone onto the leather cord; it held the symbol for Together.
(The long, harsh winter that followed did little to keep the boys separated. The duo managed to convince Hakoda's parents to let Bato stay with them when Bato's father left for a long fishing expedition. On particularly cold nights, they would snuggle together under one blanket, dreaming sweet nothings in their innocent cuddling.)
A smile crossed his lips as he slipped on the second stone, Dream, on to the cord. Many things had changed since they were boys- their dreams for one., the way they held each other close at night for another.
(Winter led to spring and the boys soon turned nine in the slushy snow dunes. They began to outgrow some of their childish behaviors and activities. No longer would they run around the village hand-in-hand as they realized, after some guidance from their parents, that that was something that boys simply did not do together.
Once they regained access to their cave, however, their hands would gravitate back to each other as though magnets had been placed in their mittens. So they would sit in the cave for hours on end, enjoying each other's company; their hands locked together so perfectly. It was their secret.)
The stone Secret clinked against its companions as it was added. Though they kept their public displays to a minimum, the men no longer needed to keep their affections as private as they had when they were kids.
(A year later, the boys still hadn't outgrown their cave. Their parents finally figured out where the two had been sneaking off to on a daily basis, but saw no harm in the meetings so long as the cave wouldn't collapse.
Some days, Hakoda would bring one of his weapons- normally his spear- and practice his battle techniques while Bato watched him silently from his spot on the ground. After an hour or so of practice, Hakoda would put the weapon down and sit beside his friend and sneak his hand over to the one that was waiting for him. Some days they would talk, but there were days where they felt no words were necessary and they would sit together in silent musing.
It was one of those days, near the end of summer, that Bato had leaned over and stolen his first kiss. It only seemed right that he would share such a special occasion with his best friend, so, without thinking twice, Hakoda had returned the kiss quickly.)
Kiss joined the other stones. Their first kiss had come at a time in which neither of them had really understood what the action really meant; before either of them could comprehend what love and compassion truly were. That didn't make it, or the memory attached to it, any less special to him.
(Months passed and, despite their innocent kiss, nothing had changed between the boys. Winter was almost over and the boys couldn't wait until the weather warmed so they could return to their place. Until then, they had to settle for the occasional sleep over.
Hakoda snuggled close to Bato, shivering a little until the other boy pulled him close and embraced him tightly. He closed his eyes and was almost off to the land of Dreams when his companion sudden;y spoke up, "Hakoda…"
"What?"
"When we get old enough, I think I want to marry you." Came the response with a yawn.
Hakoda laughed a little, thinking his friend was joking; night time often produced rather silly discussions between the two of them. "We're 'sposed to marry girls, silly."
"But girls are icky." Bato stuck out his tongue with a 'blech' and a laugh. After a minute of silence, he added in a sleepy murmur, "'Sides… I don't think anyone other than me could put up with you for very long…")
He ran his thumb over the symbol for Marriage that decorated the largest, center stone. This stone held a double meaning: a reference to that night back when they were ten and the future event he hoped the other male would agree to.
(It had taken until the pair were 16, after Hakoda met Kaya and asked her to marry him, for there to be any distance put in between them, mostly on Hakoda's end. The future chief had thought that things would change when he became engaged. He had expected Bato to suddenly become a distant and lovely memory of his childhood. But his best friend remained a very large part of his life.
When the Southern Raiders struck the tribe and took his wife's life when he was 25, Bato had been there for him, had talked him out of his deep, sinking depression. He had even helped take care of Sokka and Katara to make things easier on the grieving man; he took over the cooking and chores and spent many nights over at Hakoda's igloo.
Bato claimed it was because he didn't have a family of his own and it gave him something to do rather than sit in his tent all day twiddling his thumbs. Hakoda knew that wasn't the whole story. The way Bato cared for his children and -more so- for him… He could swear that his best friend loved him. Not in the brotherly kind of way either; no. This love ran deeper, much deeper, than that. Perhaps Bato had always loved him and he had just been oblivious to it until that point.)
The sixth stone was called Support. All throughout his life, Bato had always been there for him, to catch him when he fell and help him back to his feet again. Loyal and faithful, he had dedicated his life to the chief and Hakoda counted himself lucky to have the man by his side, both as a friend and lover.
(It took fear and separation to make Hakoda realize just how much he loved Bato. It had only been a year and a half after the men of the Southern Water Tribe had left for war when Bato was wounded with a horrible burn and was forced to be left behind at the abbey. Leaving his closest comrade behind weighed heavily on his conscience and, every night after setting up camp, a dull ache strummed in his chest to remind him of how lonely he was without Bato there with them… with him.
When Bato rejoined them nearly six months later, Hakoda had to restrain himself from tackling the still healing man to the ground and smothering him with all his love and affection. Instead, he settled for a tight hug and a meaningful "Spirits, I've missed you.")
As he added the stone Love to the collection, Hakoda felt like kicking himself for taking until the men were in their thirties to realize how much he loved and needed Bato. He felt worse for making his ever-patient friend wait for him to come to said realization.
(They had been discussing defense plans when their hands brushed. A sensation filled Hakoda. His hand trailed up the scarred arm, across the shoulder blade, into the jungle of hair. There was a spark, a fire. Steady grip; lips crashed.
Before he knew it, he was on top of his friend, pushing the tunic off the slender frame under him. Hands shaking from excited anticipation of the upcoming event- the joining of bodies that both men wanted, needed- he traced defined muscles- memorizing them, adoring them. Bato, usually the patient one, pulled him down into an impatient, bruising, hungry kiss, his long legs wrapping themselves firmly around his waist.
A husky whisper, somewhere between a growl and a groan, drifted to his ear, "By the Spirits, Hakoda… if you make me wait any longer…")
A mirthful smile emerged as the stone Desire traveled down the cord. Reflecting on it now, he realized the first time they had made love hadn't been perfect. It had been beyond it.
(When they were reunited for a second time, after having been placed in separate Fire Nation prisons, Hakoda lunged at the taller man, nearly knocking him over in an unrestrained hug. Bato, after regaining the wind that had been knocked out of him, smiled and hugged him back; both mean held back tears of joy.
"Don't ever leave my side again."
"On my honor, I won't."
That was when he decided, with one hundred percent certainty, that he wanted to marry the man. He might have asked then had Chit Sang not interrupt their reunion with a classy "Get a room."
He might have asked later had they not spent the night getting 'reacquainted'.)
The last stone, Eternal, completed the set and Hakoda felt anticipation circuit through his entire being. Now all he could do was wait until Bato showed…
Until then he would continue to tread through wonderful memories.
--
"Hakoda?" Bato called as he pulled back the door-flap of the igloo, balancing a bowl of stew in his other hand. The sun was beginning to set and he decided the chief would appreciate something to eat and enjoy his company even more.
"I've been waiting…" His love stated without turning, the longing obvious in his inflection.
"Sorry… I've been helping the men unload the boats all day. It was getting late before I realized it and I decided I could make it up to you by bringing you some stew"
"Bato… I need to ask you something. It's something I probably should have asked a long time ago…" He turned and held out his hands, revealing the newly made necklace. Bato's eyes widened and a light blush painted his cheeks. "I would be honored if you would marry me."
The bowl clattered to the floor, stew splashing and spilling as Bato tackled Hakoda in a tight hug.
"I'll take that as a yes."
"Of course!"
A/N... Again: On a related sidenote, not all of the themes are drabbles. to see the fanart, check out my DA page. :D