Chapter Text
Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled in the skies above Yakoya. The storm, the type that came only once in a decade, had raged for days now. The small coastal town had become completely water-logged. For the first few days, the people in the village had worked against the lashing rain. There were fields that needed draining. Sails that needed to be taken down and safely stored. Roofs that needed to be reinforced and repaired. But now, they were all simply huddled in their homes. It was in the hands of the spirits now.
And yet two figures moved through the torrent. They were not in the town itself, but near the estate at its outskirts. The two moved as quickly they could from the stables to the nearest entrance. But their speed was pointless. Their journey had already left them soaked to the bone.
They made for the nearest entrance. It was a door the taller of the two could find purely on instinct. Even if they couldn't see it through the rain and the darkness, she had used it so often in the past her large feet could guide them on their own. Though it admittedly did take a second or two of aimless groping to find the handle.
After all, Kyoshi wasn't really supposed to use the servant's entrance anymore. And hadn't for many years.
She held the door open to let her long-suffering chamberlain get out of the rain first. But followed immediately afterward. The hallway on the other side was even darker. And from the pitch-black came the mild voice of her air bending friend.
"Well this does seem like the appropriate ending for this little adventure," Jinpa said. If it was anyone else Kyoshi would have suspected there was veiled sarcasm beneath his gentle joke. That she just couldn't detect his judgment and derision. But that wasn't his style. Even after all they had been through.
The young avatar sighed and silently agreed. The two had journeyed south to the Water Tribe. A group of bandits had struck upon the clever idea of disguising their raids by dressing up as members of two opposing clans. Skirmishes had already broken out by the time her boots hit the ice. In the end, she had called a conclave between the tribal leaders. Only to sneak off in the night. She trusted the monk could keep the peace. While the Avatar stalked across icecaps to find their base. And when the sun came up the two tribes awoke to find Avatar Kyoshi, in her full regalia, standing above the battered and beaten bandits that had caused them so much trouble.
It was a simple but effective tactic. And also one that guaranteed she would be chewed out and forced into horse stance once she was back in Yokoya.
But that was only the beginning of the problems. For the past several days she and Jinpa had been in a war against the storm above them. The two had needed to combine their bending to cut a path for Yingyong. It was an exhausting journey. As they jumped from island to island the two slept little and only got the chance to eat about once a day.
That would probably earn her another ten minutes squatting, probably why holding something heavy. She could practically hear her sifu growling in her ear. And why, exactly, did you not just wait out the storm?
But it was already fairly late. Perhaps her sifu had already retired for the night.
Either way that was a problem for the future. For now, she just needed some light. With trained ease, she tugged one of her fans free from her belt. With a flick of the wrist it snapped open and a flame erupted from its edge. The hall was filled with golden light and the state of it and its occupants were laid bare.
The hallway was in rough shape. There were occasional cracks in the plaster and patches of the floor's polish had flaked off. It was in desperate need of maintenance. But it, at least, was clean. Which was more than could be said for the people standing in it.
"Will Yingyong be alright?" Kyoshi asked quietly. She turned away from her secretary. There were a pair of sconces bracketing the door. One was empty but the other had about half a candle left in it. With a wave of her fan the flame she created rushed to wick like a hawk to its perch.
The poor bison was hardly the best flier. Even in perfect conditions, he would sometimes struggle. And the last few days were anything but perfect. In an ideal world, the five-legged fluff monster would have been greeted with piles of oats and fruits and a warm, comfy bed to lay on. But unfortunately, Yingyong was stuck in Kyoshi's world. So all he got was a dilapidated stable to sleep in.
She should have just waited out the storm.
"He should be," Jinpa reassured her. "The roof isn't leaking. And even with all their fur bison actually dry out fast. He just needs a few days to rest and then he'll… well right as rain seems like the wrong turn of phrase for the moment."
That was good to hear. It didn't do much for the familiar twisting feeling in her guts. But the tall, young woman was glad to hear it. With a deep breath, she turned the golden war fan on her friend and began to slowly wave it through the air. The water that soaked her friend's skin and robes formed into thin tendrils that stretched into the open air. It almost seemed eager to form into the small sphere that followed her fan like a conductor's baton.
"My my, how gracious of you, Avatar," Jinpa said with a small, teasing smile on his round face. "Perhaps you should needlessly blame yourself for bad weather more often."
Kyoshi glared. First at her friend. Then at the mud they had tracked inside. That wouldn't do. It may have been years since it had been her job, but she still could not stand idly by when there was cleaning to do. That being said, she often felt there were really only two differences between being a maid and being the Avatar. The type of filth she was responsible for clearing away, and the scale she was expected to work at.
She drew her second fan and began to bend the muck from her companion's feet and the wooden floor. Normally when the Avatar chose to bend two elements together the results were the birth of legends. But not this time. This time the result was a large brown bubble.
With her secretary taken care of, she turned her attention to her own state. But tired as she was Kyoshi couldn't put the same effort into taking care of herself. The mud was, of course, shown no mercy. But the water soaking her hair and kimono was largely left where it was. She just needed to get out enough to no longer be literally dripping wet. Time could handle the rest.
As she worked she spotted a glow down the hall. A single flame flickering in a lantern, and a pair of seafoam green eyes peering at her from around the corner.
It was a relatively young girl, maybe fifteen years old. When Kyoshi nodded at her, trying to let her know she was free to approach, the girl squeaked like a mouse finch and cast her eyes downward. She was clearly ashamed at being caught staring. But to her credit, she did start walking towards the two new arrivals.
Kyoshi didn't recognize her. The earth Avatar had made it a point to know all the staff at the mansion after she officially moved back in. It was a wise precaution. Plus, after spending so many years on the other side of the serving platter she didn't want any of the people who helped her to feel like interchangeable tools. The girl clearly didn't have the same amount of experience. She shuffled awkwardly making far more noise than servants were expected to. And the relatively loose green robes she wore let on that Auntie Mui expected the girl to keep growing.
Her face was interesting. She seemed to have mixed ancestry. But unlike Kyoshi, she had a mix of Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe features. Not unusual at all in Yakoya. But if the girl was from the village Kiyoshi would definitely know her.
"Avatar Kiyoshi. Master Jinpa. It is an honor. I…" The girl trailed off. She stared wide-eyed up at Kiyoshi. It was an expression the giant woman had come to know well over the last few years.
The Avatar was a figure of harmony and enlightenment. They were a figure to be treated with adulation and reverence. And Avatar Kiyoshi was righteous vengeance and divine wrath given flesh, a figure to be feared and respected. So when people looked up at her (it was always up) their faces were filled with an awe she had only felt once in her life. When she came face to face with a dragon for the first time.
"What's your name?" Kiyoshi tried to ask kindly. But her deep voice was better suited to command than soothe. She often wondered how Kelsang always managed to sound so kindly with an even deeper voice.
"It's, um, Fu… your Avatarness." To his credit, Jinpa wasn't actually laughing. But he was clearly a hair's breadth from cackling like a maniac.
"Fu," Kiyoshi spoke quickly before the girl really started to panic. "It's nice to meet you. Please don't worry about propriety for my sake. If you ever need to speak to me, please just do so. I promise I'm not going to bite your head off over every little thing."
"Oh, um," Fu gaped up at the Avatar in disbelief. "Well, Mistress Rangi gave us strict instructions to send you to her as soon as you arrived. I think she's still in your study."
"Thank you," Kiyoshi said. Thoughts of Rangi filled her mind. "It's pretty late you should probably get some rest. If you bump into anyone else pass that on. Whatever work is left will still be there tomorrow."
"Wow. Thank you, Avatar," Fu said, amazed at her good fortune.
Kiyoshi missed her make-up. Reverence always made her cheeks flush. She wasn't sure she'd ever get used to it. So to hide her embarrassment she opened the door again and streamed the dirty water she had gathered back outside.
As she did a blinding flash of white light illuminated the night. And a deafening rumble filled the air. The tall woman slammed the door shut before she let any more of the storm in.
When she turned around she found Jinpa rubbing his eyes. And Fu stared up at the ceiling. It looked like she expected it to collapse at any moment. Perhaps it wasn't just meeting the Avatar that set the girl on edge.
"The storm will pass in a few days. Just stay strong until then." Kiyoshi said calmly.
Fu seemed no calmer. If anything she seemed only more blown away by the Avatar. Kiyoshi internally grimaced. One of the many things she learned on her journey was that many people assumed the Avatar had many more powers than she actually did. This girl probably thought she could see the future now. Or maybe that Kiyoshi controlled the weather.
But before she could clear up the misunderstanding a gentle current of air moved through the hallway. Jinpa slowly twirled his hand, his bending ruffling Fu's hair.
"May the wind bless your dreams with peace and quiet." He spoke as though he was reciting some ancient prayer.
Fu beamed and held her arms out to catch as much of the blessing as she could.
"Thank you, master!" She offered each of them a quick bow. Then scurried off, no doubt to enthuse about Jinpa's blessing. Or maybe just to take advantage of his gift.
When Kiyoshi glanced at her secretary he offered a simple shrug. Part of her was annoyed at how easily he handled the situation. But tried not to let it get to her. After all, that was why she liked to bring him on her excursions. The monk had a way with people she could never truly emulate.
But she didn't have time to brood about her intimidating aura. Kyoshi set off towards her study as fast as her exhausted body could carry her, with Jinpa quietly padding behind her. They were already three days late. And while the tall woman could never fully list her lover's virtues, one thing she wasn't, was patient. Thankfully they weren’t far from the office. After only a few minutes of trudging the two found themselves before yet another door. Kyoshi raised a scarred fist, took a deep breath, and lightly rapped on the wood with a single knuckle. Immediately a tired, but firm, and slightly raspy, voice called from beyond.
“Come in.”
Kyoshi pushed the door open and froze. Her breath hitched in her throat and her heart skipped a beat. There was Rangi sitting behind her desk (Officially it was Kyoshi’s desk. But as with everything in her life she was more than willing to share it with her bodyguard.) The fire bender was free of her normal armor, instead clad in maroon tunic. Her amber eyes glided along the papers before her, likely the last for the night. The silky black hair on her head was pulled into her typical honorable top knot, but a few strands had escaped. This was clearly a private moment the Avatar had walked in on. A final few bits of paperwork taken care of before the recently promoted Captain retired for the evening.
It was a sight that Kyoshi could not tear her gaze away from, even if she tried. It even stole her voice in a way no other thing in this world could. She wondered if that would ever change. If there would ever come a time when even an hour of separation would not leave the giant woman hungry for even a glimpse of her lover. She hoped not. She hoped there would never be a time she would grow so blind to the beauty of the world that even Rangi’s radiance would fade. That was a fate even an Avatar could never face.
Rangi glanced up from her work to see who had dropped in on her. In an instant, her countenance flipped. She had been sitting there with her trademark military discipline, straight-backed and stone-faced. But seeing her friends she was on her feet and vaulting over the desk. Relief bloomed on her face like a fire lily. The shorter woman barreled into Kyoshi like a tigerdillo spotting easy prey. Her muscular arms wrapped around her girlfriend’s floating ribs and squeezed the air out of her lungs. But despite the discomfort, Kyoshi eagerly returned the hug and even planted a kiss on the top of Rangi’s head.
“You made it,” Rangi sighed before pulling away. She offered Jinpa an apologetic grin, but the nomad had gotten used to situations like this. “I was starting to get worried.”
“We got caught in the storm,” Kyoshi explained. She hoped that would be all for tonight. It was already late. Hopefully, late enough that Rangi would just let her go to bed.
But then Jinpa stepped forward. Kyoshi’s heart fell through the floor. But she gritted her teeth and tried to fight the guilty grimace her face wanted to form. She should have known this was coming. It was an inevitability. Ever since the two women were reunited in Caldera City, this little ritual had been a semiregular part of their lives. Whenever fate conspired to separate Rangi from her Avatar she made sure the monk would travel with Kyoshi. And when the three reunited he would have a report ready for the captain. He would calmly list every meal she missed, every hour she should have slept, and every risk she took. Often with a relish that seemed totally at odds with the man’s normally kind demeanor.
Kyoshi hated it. She hated the idea that she needed a babysitter. And she hated the remedies Rangi always fashioned. But she never had the strength to stop them. It seemed to help her friends so she suffered the indignity.
But to her surprise, Rangi forestalled the report. She raised a single hand and leaned back against the desk behind her.
“We’ll have time for that later,” She said sternly, crossing her arms. “We can’t deal with the elephant koi while the Unagi is in the bay.”
That was strange. Both because Rangi had never skipped over Jinpa’s report and because of what she said. There was something truly bizarre in hearing the fire bender using a turn of phrase so specific to Yakoya. Her past and future often collided in strange ways.
“What’s today?” Rangi asked.
“Uh,” Whatever Kyoshi had been suspecting, it wasn’t that. “Springtime?”
Her lover quirked an eyebrow at her. Kyoshi wanted to blame her answer on the fact that she was tired. But really this was just a side effect of her girlfriend’s presence. There was something about being with the fire bender that made her mouth speak without waiting for input from her brain.
“That is technically correct,” Rangi said, sounding very much like her mother at that moment. “But the answer I was looking for was day 7,239 of the Era of Kyoshi.”
The Avatar wasn’t really sure where this was going. She glanced at her secretary. Jinpa didn’t look at her. He was muttering to himself and wiggling a finger like he was writing.
“Ah,” The monk said, smiling broadly. “Your birthday is coming up, Kyoshi. Congratulations. I’ll have to see if I can make a fruit pie.”
As he spoke Rangi circled back around the desk. She pulled open a drawer and lifted out a stack of papers. Saying nothing she handed the papers, letters based on the glance Kyoshi got of them, to Jinpa. Who read the first one.
"It seems Governor Te would like to host you for your birthday." The monk announced.
"He's inviting me to my own birthday party?" Kyoshi asked, a little taken aback. Far be it from her to try and sound off on the fine minutiae of courtly etiquette, but that seemed a little presumptuous. But instead of following up on that thought, Jinpa flipped to the next page.
"The chief of the Northern Water Tribe too." He flipped to the next letter. "And the King of Omashu." He flipped again. "So does the governor of Taku." Flip. "And the Beifongs." Flip. "The chief of the Southern Water Tribe." Flip. "Wow, The Earth King." Flip. "The Fire Lord?" He asked in disbelief of Rangi.
"What?!" Kyoshi asked, totally confused. "But Zoryu hates me. He thinks I want to kill him."
"Can you blame him? You did send an assassin to threaten him." Jinpa said calmly.
"So is this a trap? Is that why everyone suddenly wants me to come to dinner? Is it-" The tall woman looked to her girlfriend for answers but stopped talking. Rangi was getting frustrated. Her cheeks were starting to color. Her brows were slightly knit. And her mouth was curved into a small pout. Kyoshi almost leaned in to kiss her, that pout was so cute. But self preservation told her to stay still and silent.
"How old are you turning Kyoshi?" The woman's tomboyish voice was quiet and calm. Specifically, it was a calm that hid a storm far more dangerous than the one outside.
"Um, nineteen." Kiyoshi offered Rangi a weak smile. But her mind raced. What did that matter? What was going on? And why was Jinpa gaping at her like a fish?
"Twenty." Rangi closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're turning twenty, you giant idiot."
"Oh." The Avatar and her secretary said in unison. But their tones were radically different. Kyoshi was supremely embarrassed. She tried to justify her mistake, after all for many years she wasn't actually sure exactly how old she was. Jinpa's tone was far graver. Apparently, the pieces had finally clicked into place for him.
"We might have a problem." He said, oddly detached from the moment. As though his mind had suddenly found itself miles away.
"No kidding," Rangi scoffed.
"Why?" Kyoshi was very, very lost.
"Because you, Avatar Kyoshi, are turning twenty," Rangi shouted in frustration. "You're turning twenty and we haven't made any plans."
"What plans?" Kyoshi begged for an answer.
That was the straw that broke the camelephant's back. The fire bender roared and turned away from her girlfriend before she said something she couldn't unsay. The tall girl reached out to try and apologize and mollify her lover. But Jinpa, ever the peacekeeper, stepped between them and launched into an explanation.
"Traditionally, the Avatar's significant birthdays, the fives and tens, are widely celebrated. And since most Avatars aren't revealed until they're sixteen, the twentieth is the first major one people get the chance to celebrate. So it's a big one." Jinpa lectured calmly. "If one could, say, host the Avatar for this important celebration? Well that would be a huge honor. And it would make them seem much closer to you than they actually were."
The Avatar in question sighed heavily and glowered at the letters in the monk's hands. So it was politics. Of course it was. Whenever Kyoshi found something confusing it would seemingly always boil down to petty, political machinations.
"So I'm saying no to all of those," The tall woman said with finality.
"Exactly," Jinpa said. "Which means we're going to have to throw a party here."
"What? Why?" Kyoshi said. "Couldn't we just not have a party." That made sense to her at least. Humility was a virtue after all.
"No!" Rangi yelled, turning on her again. "We can't just not throw a party!"
"Why not? I don't understand-"
"No, you don't understand." Rangi cut her off. "In two months, every town and village across the four nations are going to hold festivals in your honor. I even got a letter from my cousin asking if your fans were actually gold. She wanted to make fan-shaped dumplings for the occasion."
"If we don't celebrate your birthday we are basically telling all of them that you aren't worth celebrating. That you don't think you're worth celebrating." Rangi continued. "And no, before you ask. We can't just do something small. That would basically be an admission that we couldn't plan something big"
The fire islander took a second to recenter herself before she continued. Her voice was far calmer and more tender when she spoke again.
"I know you don't care what they think of you," She said, pointing at the letters. "And I know you don't like worrying about your reputation. But this time it isn't just about those men. And it's not just your reputation."
"Okay," Kyoshi said, placing a hand on Rangi's shoulder. "We can do this. But the mansion… isn't ready."
To put it bluntly, the mansion was a wreck. Time had taken its toll on the structure. And with only a skeleton crew to maintain it, there was not a single room that escaped its ravages. In truth, it was a husk of its former self. It now stood as a twisted monument to Jianzhu's opulence and Kyoshi's callous disregard for the same.
"Exactly," Rangi said, starch returning to her voice and spine. "So now we've only got a few months to both plan a big party, and get the mansion ready to host a big party."
"Where do we start?" Jinpa asked.
"I already have," The fire islander stated bluntly. "I managed to track down some of the carpenters who helped build the mansion. And my grandfather agreed to send some gardeners. They should all get here in a week or so, assuming this storm ever lets up. That should hopefully give them enough time to make repairs and tame the thickets we've been growing."
"I can reach out to some of my contacts," Jinpa said, rubbing his chin. "They can probably point me in the direction of some painters and sculptors who'd be willing to help. I might have to pick them up on Yingyong though. Maybe I can get some other nomads to give them a lift."
"And I can help the rest of the staff out," Kyoshi added. "A lot of what needs to be done isn't hard. We just need hands."
"Auntie Mui sent some letters out to a few friends she could trust. There's no telling how many people she can scrounge up, but it can't hurt." After Rangi spoke an awkward silence fell over the three. They had barely scratched the surface of what needed to be done. But before they could really lose heart, the fire bender spoke again.
"Look there's not anything we can do about it tonight," She said logically. "And you two look like you're about to fall over. Let's get some sleep and we can pick this up over breakfast."
"Well, I won't fight that," The monk said, stifling a yawn. "I'll see you two in the morning."
He offered each of the women a quick bow and swiftly made his exit. This left Kyoshi and Rangi alone for the first time in over a week. The Avatar’s mossy eyes locked with her lover’s shining, gold ones. She was searching for something. Permission. Even after all these years, she could never tell when her girlfriend was frustrated and needed affection, and when she was frustrated and needed to be left alone. So she searched her sifu’s beautiful face for any sign that she could kiss her like she desperately wanted to.
But she didn’t see it. Kyoshi did what she could to keep her upper lip stiff. After all, if Rangi didn’t-
In a flash, two warm hands cupped Kyoshi’s cheeks and sharply pulled her head down. Rangi’s lips crashed against hers without shame or doubt. The taller girl’s knees almost gave out beneath her, as she and her lover shared a week’s worth of passion with each other. At that moment she was grateful for the rain soaking her earlier. Without it, the expensive silk she wore would likely have gone up in smoke. Not that a sudden fire would have separated the two. It seemed like nothing could.
But eventually, the two pulled apart taking in several much-needed lungfuls of air. Though their arms remained firmly locked around the other woman’s waist.
“I missed you,” Rangi whispered.
“I missed you too,” Kyoshi responded.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Kyoshi basked in the warm smile of her lover for as long as she could. But eventually, Rangi licked her lips and frowned.
“You haven’t eaten today.” It wasn’t a question.
“I- The storm! But-” Kyoshi sputtered. Her lover sighed and pulled away, taking one of her scared hands in her own.
“I know. I figured that would be a problem,” The fire bender led the Avatar of the office and down the hallway. She raised her free hand, creating a small, dancing ball of fire in her palm. “Auntie Mui has actually been leaving some food in your room at night in case you came in late. I think it’s steamed buns tonight. They’re probably cold by now, but you are going to eat them all anyway. I don’t want you sleeping on an empty stomach. Again.”
“Will you spend the night with me?” Kyoshi asked. It was a bit of a silly question. Like the desk, Kyoshi’s room was practically Rangi’s too. But they did still technically have separate rooms. Every so often one of them might need a moment to themselves. A little space and a little time apart could sometimes help put things into perspective. Though Kyoshi felt they had had more than enough of both at the moment.
“If you’re good,” Rangi said neutrally.
Kyoshi’s face fell at that. Not the words. Those were the type of words she had come to know and treasure during their relationship. The fire bender was a military woman through and through. She was controlled and disciplined. But once the two were alone, she would allow her softer side to show. In those moments Rangi could be as sweet, caring, or playful as she wanted to be. So the occasional teasing was something Kyoshi was used to. But now her partner’s tone was different. It was wrong. It was too cold, too distant, too aloof. This whole situation must have really gotten to her.
The tall woman wanted to simply scoop her up in her long arms and make her problems disappear. But that wasn’t how it worked. For now, she just needed to trust Rangi. Given time, the fire bender would either work out her feelings for herself or find a way to talk to her lover about what was bothering her.
So she allowed herself to be led down the darkened halls until they reached their bedroom. It was a large one. It needed to be to hold the overly large bed it held. Though it wasn’t the largest suite. Or even the second largest one. Those two remained empty and unused even to this day.
The two young women entered the room and shut the door behind them. Once their privacy was assured the first order of business was getting Kyoshi out of her wet clothes. Removing the kimono, with its many layers and hidden armor, was always a hassle. But the earth Avatar had years of experience by now. Not that that stopped Rangi from fussing over her like a moose lioness who noticed her cub was dirty. The taller woman wondered if it was even conscious behavior. Rangi seemed to only barely be paying attention to what she was doing. It was all instinct.
Still, she deftly helped loosen and remove the various pieces of fabric before hanging them on a rack. The fire bender even went so far as to fetch a nightdress and a set of dry undergarments for her lady. Though to her credit, she did it least stand to the side, arms crossed and tapping her toe, while Kyoshi pulled her sleepwear on. But the second the Avatar was decent, she steered the taller woman by her shoulders and sat her down on the edge of her bed.
True to Rangi’s prediction, a steamer basket had been left on her pillow. Before it could be shoved at her, Kyoshi grabbed it and placed in her lap. She gingerly lifted the lid, and grimaced. Not because she wasn’t hungry. Or that she didn’t like steamed buns. Or that she hated Auntie’s cooking. She just didn’t need five of them, each bigger than her fist. It must have been another misconception about the Avatar. Maybe people thought she needed to eat for all her past lives or something. Though it also may have been her size. Though she had quickly noticed that a tall servant seemed to need less food than a tall Avatar in most people’s eyes.
But this was a dance she and her lover had perfected over the years. Protesting now before she had taken a single bite would only make Rangi worry more. It was better to eat her fill first. Then, once her stomach was full, she could assure the shorter woman that it had been enough. So she selected the largest of the fluffy buns (that would help too) and took a bite. While they had indeed gone cold, the curry and pig chicken filling was still delicious.
As she ate Rangi slipped into her own nightdress. Then she climbed onto the bed and slipped behind her girlfriend. She propped herself up on her knees and began rubbing her hands together. Her nimble fingers began combing through Kyoshi’s long, brown hair. The last vestiges of the rain steamed away as the fire bender's hands slowly stroked her slightly damp locks.
It was an old Sei’Naka trick. Apparently, Rangi’s grandmother taught it to her when she was a little girl. And shortly after the two became a couple, Rangi shared it with Kyoshi. It was a trick the tall girl immediately loved. The heat of the steam and her girlfriend’s gentle ministrations combined to create a positively luxurious set of sensations. It may not have been her absolute favorite thing her lover could do with those skilled fingers of hers. But it was easily in the top five.
Normally Kyoshi would have instantly melted and leaned back into Rangi’s touch. But she couldn’t enjoy the moment. Not with the loaded silence ringing in her ears.
“I’m sorry, Rangi,” She said morosely, staring down at the basket in her lap.
“I’m not mad at you,” The woman behind her said dismissively. But Kyoshi rolled her eyes.
“I know this isn’t my shining moment. You don’t have to-”
“I’m mad at myself, Kyoshi,” Rangi interrupted her. Kyoshi felt a powerful pair of arms snake around her shoulders. And a beautiful face buried itself in her newly dry hair.
“How did I forget your birthday?” Rangi’s voice was barely audible.
"You didn't," Kyoshi pointed out, hoping to reassure her girlfriend. "It's not for another two months."
This only made Rangi tighten her grip around her gigantic lover. When she spoke again her voice was even quieter. Kyoshi had to strain her ears to hear her.
"But it wasn't just this year," The proud captain said between sniffles. A sound that broke the Avatar's heart. "When those invitations started coming in, I realized we had never actually celebrated your birthday together."
"Yes, we have," Kiyoshi said as gently as possible. "We did last year." When she turned nineteen, her brain helpfully reminded her.
"Splitting a glass of plum wine in a tiny inn when we couldn't even get a room to ourselves is not good enough. Not after what you did for mine." Her girlfriend retorted.
The young Avatar frowned at the memory. It was actually one of her proudest moments. Shortly before Rangi's last birthday, Kyoshi had been asked to mediate a territorial dispute between the Zhang and Gan-jin. The problem was that they had already planned a party in Yokoya. Many of their friends and family were already on their way. The fire bender took it in stride. She accepted the consolation prize of a celebration a week or so after the actual day with the grace and dignity expected of her station.
But that wasn't good enough for her girlfriend. So Kyoshi got to work. With a little help from Jinpa, she reached out to the abbot of the Southern Air Temple. And with his help, a few young monks and nuns had been dispatched to intercept their guests mid-journey and take them to a small harbor town instead of Yakoya. All things considered, it was surprisingly easy. The nomads, even the stuffy old abbot, had found the idea of helping the almighty Avatar throw a surprise party for her lover to be so funny they all eagerly agreed. And in the end, all it had cost her was a few invitations to the party, and a promise to attend Yanchen's Festival the following year.
Keeping the secret from Rangi had been much harder. Keeping a straight face while the young woman privately confided in her that I'm fact, yes missing her birthday did in fact bother her, was one of the greatest trials in Kyoshi's life. Fighting the urge to not comfort the love of her life with the truth right then and there probably took a year of her life. But it had all been worth it for the moment when they walked into the tavern filled with the noble woman's friends and family (and a small party of air benders who had formed an ad hoc band.) The look of flabbergasted delight on Rangi's gorgeous face would be a sight Kyoshi would never forget.
But for her lover, that memory was now twisted. It was now filled with guilt and regret. That was a shard of flint through the Avatar's heart.
"I've never even gotten you a birthday present," Rangi said clearly very close to losing the last shreds of her composure.
"So? All I got you was some flowers," Kyoshi said frantically. She was desperate to say something to calm the woman clinging to her back. But that wasn't it.
"You picked me an entire bouquet of panda lilies!" Rangi retorted in frustration.
Kyoshi had snuck away the night before the surprise party. No small feat considering who she shared a bedroll with. But that was her only chance. She had used her air bending to move quickly and quietly through the forest and up the side of the nearby volcano. Then, guided by starlight, moonlight, and the glow of the lava, she picked twenty of the little flowers growing around the caldera's rim.
On the way back to camp, she bound them as neatly as she could with red and green ribbons. She turned the bouquet around again and again, inspecting it from every angle. She found it rather unimpressive. The small, fragile, black-and-white blossoms seemed rather plain when compared to the vibrant, exotic flora of the fire islands. But Kyoshi had heard several women talk about how excited they would be if their prospective lover presented them with these flowers.
The next night when Kyoshi pulled Rangi outside to give her her present, she was fully ready for more of a polite smile than anything else. Instead her sifu and girlfriend’s jaw dropped. She had gushed over how lovely they were and how incredible Kyoshi was. When the fire bender noticed the tall woman’s confusion, she launched into an explanation. About how the lilies were a symbol of everlasting love and devotion. How the two colors represented the union of the two lovers. And how their rarity and the difficulty of obtaining them spoke volumes about Kyoshi’s fidelity and passion. How most women would be lucky to even be given a single panda lily in their lifetime.
Then when Kyoshi bashfully admitted that she didn’t realize she was only supposed to only pick one, Rangi laughed so hard she nearly fell over. The birthday girl must have told that story a dozen times over the course of the party. Sometimes she told it to brag about her new present. Sometimes she just wanted to enthuse about how adorably clueless her lover could be. But whatever else happened the bouquet never left her hand.
Kyoshi knew she had to act. She knew first hand the feeling of joy crumbling like chalk between your fingers. That corrosive process where hindsight twisted your happiest memories into blades against your skin. She couldn’t, she wouldn’t, let that happen to Rangi. Even if she had never figured out exactly how to do that.
It was an ungainly process, but Kyoshi wiggled around to face Rangi. She crossed her long legs beneath her and pulled the smaller woman into her lap. Rangi eagerly nuzzled into Kyoshi’s chest. For a long moment, the taller woman simply let her lover cry, doing nothing more than tenderly stroking her silky black hair. This was important, to simply be allowed to cry. Eventually though, far faster than Kyoshi would have recovered herself, Rangi found her voice.
“And do you know the worst part?” The fire bender asked. “Now I have the chance to fix all of this. To try and make this up to you. And instead, I have to throw a party you’ll hate. I have to ruin your birthday. I feel like I’ve failed you.”
Right then, right there something changed. Deep within Kyoshi’s heart, a line had been crossed. She straightened her back, pulling herself up to her full imposing height. She set her face into a mask of determination. Using a single finger beneath her lover’s chin, she lifted Rangi’s puffy, bronze eyes to her face.
“Never,” she said quietly. Kyoshi leaned down and pressed her lips to Rangi’s. Unlike their earlier kiss, this one was gentle, chaste, and caring. And it was far shorter, only lasting long enough to share the feelings Kyoshi might not be able to put into words
“The only thing I feel is worth celebrating about my life, is that I can share it with you,” Kyoshi spoke through the lump in her throat. “And the only gift I could ever want was another day with you.”
Rangi gaped up at her. Before a wet but sparkling smile spread on her face. She giggled like a schoolgirl and brought up her hand to cup Kyoshi’s cheek.
“You are so sweet. And so amazing,” She said. But then tweaked her lover’s nose. “And so wrong, you oaf.”
Kyoshi gaped. Only a moment ago her lover had seemed hopelessly morose.
“You’re so much better, worth so much more than you think,” Rangi said, with a hand on Kyoshi’s neck. She gently guided the taller woman down, until they were laying next to each other on the bed. “And I am going to make this up to you.”
“If it’ll make you feel better,” Kyoshi wrapped her arms around Rangi once again. But the smaller woman didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she looked away and chewed her lip.
“I actually had an idea about that. But I don’t think you’ll like it.” Rangi gave the tall woman a moment to respond. When she didn’t the fire bender continued. “What if we celebrate your birthday three times?”
“You want to throw three parties?” Rangi was right on the money. Kyoshi was already not looking forward to being the center of attention for the party. She could hardly be expected to relish three.
“Not exactly. Just hear me out.” Rangi propped herself up on her elbows as she spoke. “We have to have the big one on your actual birthday. I wish we didn’t have to, but our hands are tied. But I was thinking we could invite the people you actually like to stay for a more few days. And have the real party then.”
“That,” Kyoshi paused. She thought about the party for Rangi. About being surrounded by the people she loved, and, for whatever reason, loved her back. “That actually sounds nice. But that’s only two.”
“Well after that, I was thinking we could go somewhere. You, know just the two of us,” Rangi offered her cheeks coloring a little.
“Somewhere? Like maybe Ember Island?” Kyoshi said with a lopsided grin. Over the years the fire islander had brought up the island several times. And each time she made it clear, with less and less subtlety, she wanted to take her girlfriend there.
“It’s your birthday, dummy. We could go wherever you want,” Rangi said. But after a moment she continued. “Though if you wanted a recommendation… Ember Island really is the best. The beaches are so beautiful. And the water is so clear. Oh, and since it's spring we might even see some seal turtles. The babies are so cute.”
“You just want to see me in a swimsuit,” Kyoshi playfully accused her.
“That’s not it!” Rangi lied through her teeth.
“Fine, fine,” The Avatar said. “Honestly that sounds nice.”
“Wow. I didn’t expect you to agree so quickly,” Rangi said. But a wicked grin spread across her face. She shuffled to put her face right in front of her lover’s. When she spoke again, her voice was like cinders, smokey and crackling. Kyoshi felt a leg casually draped across her waist. “And here I was, ready to have to convince you.”
“You still could,” Koshi said breathlessly. Rangi chuckled and pulled herself upright, straddling the giant woman like a prized ostrich horse.
“We’re kind of past that point,” The fire bender pointed out as she pulled the hairpin from her bun. The shiny, black locks swished free, settling to frame her bewitching face. Her bronze eyes shone down at Kyoshi. “Maybe we can do something else.”
“Stance training?” Kyoshi had fallen for that too many times to not be suspicious. Especially after she had already seemingly dodged her girlfriend’s wrath once today.
“Not exactly.” With a slow wave of her arm, Rangi gathered flames from the candles in the room. Then, with one final smirk, she closed her fist and left the two in darkness.