When Kasamatsu folded up his glider and dropped to the Victory's deck, he was instantly hit by nearly two meters of sobbing Avatar, Kise having grown in the interval since they last met.
"Sempaiiii, sempai you caaaaaaame," Kise sobbed, as Kasamatsu staggered upon impact.
Kasamatsu rolled his eyes, shifted Kise to one side, and fumbled for his courier pouch. Commander Akashi advanced, unhurried.
"Good-morning," he said politely. Kasamatsu bowed as much as he could in greeting. The newly promoted Commander and Kise's firebending teacher was just his age, he knew, and in light sparring gear, looked it. An aide hurried forward to take the pouch.
"I will have a reply for Captain Nijimura in less than hour," said Commander Akashi. "Please make yourself comfortable on board until that time." His gaze cut sideways to Kise. "Ryouta, see to our guest."
Kise shot straight up and bowed to Commander Akashi. "Yes, sensei," he said, perfectly level with the ground.
"Dismissed," said the Commander almost idly, and he left, a train of aides gathering in his wake like obedient clouds.
"He's certainly done well for your manners," said Kasamatsu approvingly.
Kise staggered upright and threw himself back into Kasamatsu's arms. "Take me away from here," he said. "I'll do anything. Anything."
"Oof," said Kasamatsu. "Kise, get off. Training is supposed to be hard. Aren't you learning firebending?"
"He doesn't let me bend at all!" Kise sniffed. "Every morning he throws me off this boat and makes me keep up without using waterbending. AT ALL!"
"Ship!" snapped a nearby crew member, glaring at Kise. Kise made a small soft noise of irritation and buried himself further in Kasamatsu's warm woolen clothes, made for flying, his hands flexing in the air nomad-woven cloth. Kasamatsu wondered how long it would take to untangle him, if Kise managed to burrow in.
"Isn't that just called swimming?" said Kasamatsu, determinedly unsympathetic. For all his complaining, Kise looked very well. He had grown, and put on long sleek muscle. His hair had been cut again since Kasamatsu had last seen him, and it was growing out dark with just the faintest suggestion of his usual bleached colour at the tips. He was dressed as the other cadets aboard the Victory, minus the embellishments to establish his division and rank. If it hadn't been for the tattoos, Kasamatsu might not have recognized him. He felt a pang. It seemed very long since they had been children on Air Temple Island- if Kise, reincarnated over a thousand lifetimes, had ever been truly young.
"We're nearly in the Arctic," said Kise. He made a face which distorted all his perfect features and poise, and Kasamatsu laughed at him.
"It's good for you," said Kasamatsu. "You're learning to firebend, right? Keep yourself warm inside."
"Oh hey," said Kise, perking up. "That's a thought."
"It's a good thing you were born like this," said Kasamatsu. "Well come on- I've got an hour to kill. Show me around, or do you want to catch some cloud?"
"Akashichi'll take two hours," Kise informed him. "Since it's for Captain Nijimura." He smiled angelically. "We'll do both."