As I lounge against the far back of the wall, it occurs to me that the looks the Southern Watertribe boy is sending Yue must make Hahn's blood boil. Yes, he looks like he wants to break the boy's face in. He bears it with dignity. It does make him look like an arrogant prick, though. Then again, it isn't like that would be a false impression to have of Hahn.
And Yue… well, she no longer looks like she holds the world's injustice in her hands like a sword to brandish at her father and the council members. I wonder sometimes if when she looks out from that tower of hers, if she wishes she could just run away. Now her mind is preoccupied with the future and while deciding she'll do as she pleases from now on is admirable, that does not include marital life.
Poor Hahn. He knows none of this. He believes she enjoys his company just as much as he does hers. Then again, I don't know what Yue even does with company that she enjoys.
Desperate for another train of thought, I cast my eyes about the hall. It was a very delicate hand that decorated it for tonight. I would guess it was Yuzuki. He's always been the most artistic of my generation.
He stands beside the waterfall with Buniq, in what looks like a deep conversation. Well. That's a match I would not have foreseen. Well then, to give them some privacy, I look for another entertaining image.
Ah, the Avatar and Pakku are being introduced.
Pakku, I note, is being his humble self and will be very popular, I'm sure. He strides off like the stuck-up man he is and I decide to intercept where the Avatar can see. I don't need to hover within Yue's eyesight, at this point. There is no one in her vicinity who I would suspect of wanting to harm her. Especially not with Hahn's eyes on her.
There is no sense in having the Avatar think Pakku's as strict as he portrays himself. Where'd we end up, if he took everything at face value? The Avatar should perhaps be gently guided into healthy suspicion of others.
"Pakku, wonderful display earlier. Very synchronised," I say, as I sling an arm across his shoulders. He shoots me a haughty look and stays silent, bony shoulders stiff beneath the thick padding of his coat. I think it is very unlikely that he could be nervous about teaching the Avatar, but…
"How long did you have to practise that for them to fall in line today?" I prod, and finally, a response. He never does like it when I belittle his students. No one can do that but him, apparently.
He shrugs my arm off and drafts a disapproving facial expression that has never worked on me. I don't see why he still puts it on. "I do not appreciate your insinuations."
I smirk and pat his shoulder, "Sure, sure."
His upper lip twitches. He hates that I'm taller than him now. That, or he's fully aware of what I'm doing. "What do you want?"
Well, straight to the point tonight, are we? "Don't be too hard on him and his friend, yeah? And remember that you didn't kick up too much of a fuss when I went and learned from Yugoda."
"I do not kick up fusses, Kaito," he says imperiously and his eyes flick towards the two Southern Watertribe kids. "And why bring it up now? You never wanted to speak of it before. To speak of it now is almost improper."
I decide to ignore the helpful tip on etiquette and lean forward as if about to disclose a secret. He frowns, but doesn't lean back. "The girl's a spitfire. She won't be backing down easily, Pakku."
Then I wink at him, enjoy his open-mouthed face for a second and amble off towards the section where Arnook is being all prim and proper.
Someone has to step in and stop this tragedy. With a bit of prodding he shares his drink, which is much better than what I had earlier.
"How is she?" he asks, eyes on his drink as he swirls it in his cup.
"Determined."
"To…?"
"Become the chief on her own merits. Without…" I glance at where she's speaking with Sokka, "Marriage to someone politically advantageous."
"That isn't what I hoped Hahn would be for her," he shoots me a sharp glance.
"I know that. But he's not someone she could love at the moment, since he represents everything she dislikes, or thinks she dislikes," I state meaningfully to look at Yue and her suitor.
"You think she'll…?"
I shrug. "She might. But definitely not with Hahn. Which is a pity, you know? He loves her," I tell this to my cup before downing it.
"I do," Arnook answers with a sigh. "I thought when she dragged you to me earlier that you and her…"
"What?" My eyes flicker to his profile and I see that he's teasing. "Spirits, no," I laugh at his cautioning stare, "She'd kill me within the first week."
"You've been on her guard rotation for two years now, Kaito."
"That long already?"
"Yes. You've only been a master for two years. No uncommon accomplishments or anything of the sort."
"Well. I had the choice between being Pakku's minion, or becoming his less minion-like minion."
"Sometimes," Arnook says, filling our cups again, "I don't understand what you're saying."
"Sometimes? I'll have to try harder, then."
"Kaito," he says gravely and turns to look at me fully, "Please don't."
"But chief," I begin to drawl, and Arnook, like the adult he is, takes a quick look around before deeming it safe to slap me up the back of my head for my tone while I continue undeterred, "I just like to keep you young and spontaneous."
"So try harder to be grown-up, and surprise me that way," he suggests.
"So… like who?" I ask, and Arnook groans.
"Be like…" He searches for a proper role model, realises he's coming up short, and sags into his cushion. Poor man.
We sit and drink until the Avatar comes over and starts telling his future girlfriend about their lesson with Pakku tomorrow. I wonder if he doesn't care about Pakku's lack of niceness, or just hasn't noticed it yet. Or maybe my ploy to dismiss Pakku's prickliness is already bearing fruit? I doubt it. Obliviousness can go a long way.
I've come to realise that deluding myself to that extent is more harmful than anything else. Nothing wrong with lying to yourself, so long as you still know that you're doing it. Although then it's more of a curtain you don't really pull aside to check whether reality still exists without your attention on it. Usually, it does. So you pick curtains with a nice pattern.
"Finally! I have so many questions," she gushes and Arnook and I trade a look. Yeah, that'll go over about as well as we expect. But then again, I was his student not so long ago. However, that might have lessened her chances at leniency from him, since he now knows how to best handle stubborn children.
"Poor Pakku," I say lowly and we share a grin.
"He said sunrise tomorrow. If you're not hungover you could come watch," Arnook suggests just as quietly.
"I wouldn't miss that show for anything in the world."
All in all, it's a good night. Hahn gets a bit drunker than he should, and I deposit him in my guest room because his dad's still not cool and go to bed for the two hours that we've got until sunrise.
...
Upon waking, I blearily stare up at the ceiling. Yue became a Strong Independent Individual with a Plan and will break Hahn's heart in a few hours… or days. Pausing for a moment in my motions to right myself, I remove the capital letters from that thought.
As I roll to my feet, I think about how the Avatar arrived, and Pakku will do his best to snuff out that cheer. I give him good odds. He can be a real wet rag to the face, when he wants to. And he'll want to.
At least the market is in full progress already, so I get breakfast on the way. Those freshly-baked crab-cakes are heavenly. And that stand that brews Yugoda's special tea already has a mug waiting for me. Nice girl, to think of me every morning. Already my day is looking up.
"Looking better than expected today, Kaito," her father comments as I hand over the money.
"Ah? It's your tea that makes me get out of bed every morning, even after the festival," I reply, inhaling the scent. "How do you manage to get up afterwards without the promise of it already waiting?"
He laughs, "I wasn't there. Aisu was, though," he glances at his daughter. She smiles, suddenly shy.
"I didn't see you there… you should have come and said hello!"
She shakes her head, "You were with the chief."
I frown. "Arnook would welcome you. He likes to speak with the people he protects, you know?"
She shrugs.
"Well, come next time! And you too, Keiki," I tell the man who is watching with a sly smile. "Arnook's been wanting to meet the people who motivate me to show up to guard duty on time."
They both nod with smiles. Well, that's settled, then. The people need to know who it is that rules them. And Arnook needs to speak with people who aren't stuffy old men and women.
...
Don't forget to throw some power stones :)
...
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