Healed and Hunted
Cost of Ignorance
Chapter Thirty
Her Birthday Party
Kyoshi
No one showed up. Not one of her friends. Even her aunts and uncle weren't able to make it. It was just mommy, daddy and herself. The party was really quiet.
They were sitting in the living room with the lights off, staring at the candles burn and melt onto the cake. Kyoshi watched the flames flicker, and knew her parents were waiting. She didn't know what to wish for. She didn't know exactly how strong birthday wishes were, and didn't want to waste the wish.
"Kyoshi, are you alright?" Her dad asked. He had been quiet today, too.
The young girl looked up, "I'm okay. I just...don't know."
Her parents both looked down. She hated when they did that. It was like they blamed themselves for...for something. Kyoshi couldn't figure out exactly what it was.
So, deciding it was safest to be honest with birthday wishes, she blew carefully and thought I just want my family. Without the candles lit, the room was dark and dreary.
"Happy birthday, sweetie." Mommy said. Presents were moved from the back of the room to the table in front of the small girl.
There was one in a manilla package that Kyoshi was most curious about.
"This one's from your Aunt Tara," Mommy explained. She handed it over with a smile.
The package was resistant and heavy. Kyoshi tugged and tugged, but the paper didn't give. She saw no way to open it, but tried anyways. After a few seconds of struggling, daddy offered to open it. He flicked a knife out from his pocket and slit the opening carefully.
Kyoshi poured the contents out. It was a canvas, about the size of a picture frame. On it was a picture of the entire family, including Lee. They were all sitting in a park, eating and laughing. Everyone but her parents were wearing their red bands. The people in the picture seemed so happy.
Kyoshi's eyes watered. She missed her aunts and uncle. And Lee. She worried all the time that they weren't ever coming back. She had to wipe at her eyes before the tears spilled out.
"There's something written on the back." Daddy told her.
The girl flipped the canvas over. Written in her aunt's pretty handwriting was this:
For men may come and go/ but I go on forever- Alfred Tennyson.
Kyoshi, no matter what, we're all there with you. You can always count on us, alright? No matter how far we are or how long it takes, remember we're also in your heart. I love you, dear one. Always and forever.
The words made Kyoshi's heart hurt for some reason. It sounded like a good-bye, to the little girl. She started to cry, then, but not sobbing. Just a few tears that she wiped before they made it too far, before her parents could see.
"This one is from...Aang and Toph." Daddy said. He handed her a wrapped package.
She ripped the paper to reveal a book. The book was blank, except for the first page. A photo was taped on all corners, with names and a date scrawled beneath it. And beneath those was written, Just something to keep your thoughts in. Love, you. Happy birthday, from all of us!
Kyoshi put the book down and handed her mother the torn wrapping paper. Her mom put the paper in a trash bag, and handed back another present.
The paper declared it to be From: Lee To: Coolest Kid on the Planet.
She opened it, and smiled. It wasn't anything too sentimental. It was, actually, something she'd truly wanted. An art kit, similar to the ones Aunt Tara used. There were over a hundred pieces inside.
"Well, what is it?" Daddy asked.
Kyoshi smiled up at him, "Paint and stuff."
"Alright, a couple more left. Then we've got one big surprise." Her daddy said, grinning.
The Closet
Kat
"Ow! That's my foot, Lee!"
"Sorry, Kat. It's dark and I can't see."
"How horrible. Would you just hold still? I can't hear."
"Guys, be quiet. I think she's almost finished."
From outside the closet, "Okay, keep your eyes closed."
"Daddy, your hands are hot. If I promise to keep them closed, can I just follow?" Kyoshi was saying.
Sokka laughed, "Alright. We're here, anyways."
An awkward pause.
"My closet?" The little girl asked.
Kat chose then to push the door open. The four of them were further back into the closet, where they wouldn't be immediately visible. Then, Kyoshi stuck her head in.
"Is it a puppy?" She wondered.
Kat nudged Lee, who very carefully set his hand on fire. The light illuminated the dark closet, revealing its four occupants.
"Not exactly." Kat said, right as the young girl launched herself forward.
Kyoshi knocked her backwards, and the five all fell to the ground. Kat reached up to catch herself, only to pull down almost all of the clothes hanging up. It was a mess of limbs and cloth.
"Ow, Kat, you're on my face!" Toph cried out.
"You're here! You're all here!" Kyoshi was saying, rubbing her cheeks all over Kat's face. Kat was trying not to giggle.
Until, that was, that she realized Kyoshi was crying.
"Is something the matter?" Kat wondered.
The little girl sighed, "No. Nothing. Everything's wonderful."
Kat wasn't so sure, but decided it could wait. Today was about her niece, and nothing more.
Test Sign-Up
Lee
Kat was staring at him from across the room. They'd argued back and forth about this decision. She understood why he was leaving, but it had taken him much longer to understand why she was staying. It wasn't until he found her, sitting in the freshman hallway, holding three crying youths that he finally got it.
If she had the ability to help the children of this place, she was going to do so. Even if it meant staying here alone. At that point, he'd sat down with her and offered to stay. She refused, repeatedly.
He signed his name right under Toph and Aang. A few other people- kids about seventeen- signed after him. He recognized one or two of them from the extra classes he had helped teach.
"Well. There it is." Lee said, walking over to his beloved.
She leaned her head on him. "There it is."
They walked out together, nearly being consumed by a large group of freshmen. They were all staring anxiously, pressing against the two of them. Lee vaguely recognized a few of them. Kat, however, knew them.
"What are you all doing here?" She wondered, ushering them out of the doorway. The group moved on her signal.
The group of children parted, then, revealing Jason at the center. He was smiling, though it seemed rather pained and forced. Lee watched Kat's head tilt to the side, beautiful confusion on her face.
"You didn't sign up." Jason said matter-of-factly.
Kat shrugged, "Nah. Not ready to leave this place just yet."
Lee noticed a few children sniffling and wiping at their eyes. He didn't understand, yet, the reason for the mob of kids. They were allowing Jason to speak for them, and not a word beforehand.
"That's because of us." This sounded more of a question than statement.
His dark-skinned loved shook her head, "Absolutely unrelated."
"Liar." The young boy said, challenging her with his eyes. Lee was amused by his efforts. The child gave up quickly, unused to the intense stare Lee knew Katara capable of.
Kat sighed, "So, is that all you came to do? Dishonor me and cause traffic?"
Lee knew what she was doing and knew it wasn't going to work. She did this often, when she was trying to hide her feelings. She acted like her sister, Toph. Rough and tumble, exoskeleton and all. Except, that wasn't who Kat was at all.
"...No...We came to..." Jason seemed to be struggling with words. Instead, he reached in his pocket and produced a pen.
Lee saw Kat's eyebrows shoot up.
"You don't need to stay for us." Jason continued, pressing the office supply into Kat's hand.
His beloved blinked, took the pen, and stared.
"Go on. We'll be alright." Jason said, waving his hand backwards. The children parted, creating a pathway back to the sign-up room. A few more of them were openly crying.
Their love for Kat didn't surprise him. It made him feel...warm, he supposed. He knew why they were upset. Leaving her side wasn't easy. Even though he knew it was the right thing to do, it didn't make the idea any more bearable.
"How about we agree to stop lying, huh?" Kat had let her hair fall in front of her face. Lee figured she was close to crying. His beloved continued, "I am staying because of you. I would miss you all terribly. At least here, I can help a little. But would you really be alright without me?"
Everyone looked to Jason, who was at a loss for words. He was unsure whether or not to press Kat to leave. Lee could see the thoughts passing behind his eyes. Was it selfish to let her stay, or worse to make her leave?
The silence stretched. Kat did not move, save to hold out the pen in an open palm.
"So, tell me. Would my staying here be completely pointless?"
Jason's mouth opened and closed. What, Lee wondered, would the boy decide? Regardless of what the boy said, Kat was staying. They had already decided.
One child, a girl of twelve, broke rank and knocked the pen out Kat's hand. The girl gripped Kat's waist and wept.
"Please don't go!" The girl cried.
Kat's hands immediately went to soothe the child, "Shh. I'm not going anywhere."
The rest of the children followed suit, then. They reached for his beloved, and he was shoved away from her. She glanced back up, tears in her eyes, and smiled at him.
That was the first time he'd really wondered about having their own children.
Their Last True Weekend
Kat
They threw all of their belongings in their apartment and rushed back out the door. Aaron had been nice enough to let them- well, Lee- move in early. Right now, though, they were running late for their movie. They had been delayed because of traffic, and were hoping to make up for lost time by racing through the apartment. Kat locked the door and ran after Lee, vowing not to lose the race.
The movie was enjoyable, but unimportant. They were window shopping for furniture now. They had a bed-taken from Kat's loft- and a couch-a gift from Mushi- and a lounge chair- purchased out of necessity- but not much else. They needed basic appliances. And food. But, that could wait.
The city was huge, and fun to explore on foot. They found a few restaurants they intended to visit at one point or another. A few local dives that weren't too crowded or scary-looking.
They also found a bookstore, to both of their delights. Kat was surprised at how...hospitable the city was. Lee seemed to have an affinity for finding Inheritor-friendly places. He had absently put it down to many years of discovering the opposite and reacting...wrongly.
They sat in a park for nearly an hour without speaking. The water structure there was relaxing. Near the end of their stay, Kat may or may not have caused one of the water-spitting dolphins to malfunction and douse Lee. It had been quite a sight. One would have believed he had been attacked by invisible bees.
They drove home slowly, and stopped for didn't make it home until nearly twelve.
She was carrying the bag of take-out and walking decidedly carefully. Her shoes were wet from who knew what, and she didn't want to slip on the floor. Not only would it hurt, but she was starving and wasting the take-out seemed tragic.
"Kat...did you close the door when we left?" Lee asked, stopping so suddenly she ran into him.
She tried to think back, "Yeah. Definitely. I was in a hurry, but, yeah."
Katara peered around him and saw their door standing wide open, darkened inside but still exposed. Someone had been into their home.
Sitting on the Couch
Unknown
"Stay out here." His voice was different, yet not so unfamiliar that she couldn't identify him. She had no idea who he was talking to, but it wasn't important.
There was a pause, then he spoke again, "Oh, fine. But stay behind me."
The woman spoke, but it was unclear what she said.
She saw him step into the door way and flip the lights on. The kitchen illuminated, and she could hardly contain her gasp. In all his splendor, there he was. So close, after all this time. The scar was old, but she had never seen it before. The last time she had seen him, it had been dark and his face had been covered.
Before he could see her, she moved. She only said, "Zuko!"
Her lips were on his before he registered her movement. When he tried to pull away, she gripped his hair. It had been far too long, and she missed him. This wasn't a social call, per se, but she had been sent for a reason. The kiss was too short, but she had expected that.
What she wasn't expecting was something cold wrapping around her neck and wrists then dragging her to the floor.
Once her head collided with the wood floor, her world span and she blinked out of consciousness.
A/N: Sorry for the delay. Didn't forget, I swear. Think I just kept thinking, "I'll do it tomorrow. I'll post later." XD