HOME | DD

Description
I left before any of them had woken up that morning. Before pulling myself up through the hatch I bended the chest holding all my belongings into the ground, where it could not be rifled through by thieving Freedom Fighters. They had left during the night, and I wasn’t sure why or when they came back, but they had all been exhausted. Jet was much paler, leaning against Longshot for help, and for a moment I worried that I should see if they needed help. But I was tired and needed to wake up early that morning. So if no one was dying, I was going to continue sleeping. The stray cats circled around my feet while I walked through alleyways to the market, reminding me that at some point today I had to buy more milk. The sun was almost up, so people had already started their days. Jet had never been one for early rising. I had a visit with the Avatar today in search for his bison, then I would have to go to the farm. When I had passed through the two gates and stood before the door to the beautiful guest home, I listened for heartbeats. They were all still moving rhythmically in time together to the same beat, slow and separated. But before I could sit down to wait for them to wake up, a giant fluffy beast I knew all too well bounded around the corner of the building and shoved me down to the ground with a magnificent roar of happiness. Those heartbeats weren’t slow anymore.

“Hey big guy,” I said, petting his massive head with the hand that wasn’t trapped under a furry white body. He licked my face in response and roared again, his eyes squinting in delight. Ugh, he smelled like a wet wool blanket. My legs started to ache under the immense pressure. “Let me up, man.” I bended myself out from under him, but almost immediately he barreled into my chest head-first and shoved me against the wall. A huge, pink, slimy tongue slid up my body relentlessly. “Hey!” I pushed against the arrow-headed skybison- experiencing a bit of claustrophobia- to no avail. I bended him away from me and created a ledge on the wall for me to sit on. He roared unhappily, planting himself under the ledge.

“Seems like Appa likes you.” Katara tossed the bison an apple, which he caught haphazardly while still staring at me.

“A little too much,” I grumbled, crossing my legs. This attention is very disliked. “Where’d you guys find him?”

The avatar stumbled out of the house along with a bed-headed Toph, who scowled at me while she rubbed at her eyes. It’s already late into the morning. Laziness is not something I appreciate. It’s haughty and allows for either the growth of pride or apathy and mental deterioration. “The king’s advisor was working behind the king’s back with the Dai-li doing all kinds of awful stuff. One of them was stealing Appa, so we couldn’t leave. They were pretending there’s no war, or something. We lost a friend while getting Appa back…” Here everyone kind of quieted down solemnly.

I shook my head. “I’d only heard about this. It’s not too enforced in the lower ring, because there are just so many people. And the outer wall was just busted through the other day, so… Everybody down here is pretty much up-to-date on the situation, whether they like it or not. I’m sorry about your friend.” I scratched the back of my head and glared back down at the earth bender. What’s up her butt? She keeps frowning at me, like I’m the devil or something. And then I watched her pick her nose and flick the contents up at me. I stopped it no problem with some dust particles and shot it back onto her forehead. The smirk fell off her face pretty quick. “I’m not here for this,” I sighed, jumping off my perch to the hard dirt below. I don’t think anyone else knew what had just happened, judging by the confused looks on their faces, but I didn’t care. It’s too early for this stuff.

“Wait!” The water tribe boy stopped me with a hand to my shoulder. “We could kinda use your help. We’ll need to navigate the city and-“

“Find me when you need me.” I pushed him off and continued walking around them to the end of the alley in the direction of the gates. “I’m sure your sky bison will find me. Maybe when your teammate stops chucking the results of her bodily functions at me, I’ll be a little more willing.” Then I stepped out into the crowd and pushed her grimacing face out of my head while I left the upper ring.

No sooner had I stepped out the doors than the General and the Prince bumped into me around a corner. My day could not get any better. “Iwa! Again, perfect timing!” The General clasped his hands together in a pleading manner, which did not suit my memory of his greatness at all. “I have another favour to ask, although this time I can pay you. I’ve been given my own shop in the 3rd ring- and a hundred silver pieces to begin decoration and purchase tea! Will you help… Lee buy new tea leaves from your friend’s shop?”

He didn’t really wait for a reply, just waddled off while talking about the new tea set he’d seen recently. I stood frozen for a moment, heart racing at the close call. Had the Avatar followed me, or the Prince and the General passed through the gates minutes earlier…

“Are you alright?” The Prince placed a hand on my shoulder and turned me to him. I noticed he had become quite good at acting: his face expressed seemingly genuine concern, brow furrowed and lips pursed. This look didn’t suit him at all. Concern was not something I had associated with him, and it made him look a bit strange. Maybe it’s part of his under-cover thing while he’s finding the Avatar? But other people are jerks too, it’s not like it’ll make much difference.

Either way I decided to play along, smiling and nodding. “I’m fine, thank you.” I had to keep from tacking a “Your Highness” to the end of it. Right now we looked pretty suspicious just standing in the middle of the street, him holding me and myself obviously struggling with speech. He’s wearing much finer clothes than he previously had been when I last saw him- simple but well-made, whereas mine had rips and weathered edges from years of reuse. “I’ll take you to Rin’s shop. How much tea do you need?”

He shrugged his shoulders and began to follow me, a smile again gracing his features. “I’m not sure. Uncle didn’t really specify, except that he wanted some of everything.”

The whole way through the city he just kept talking. I’ve never heard the Prince speak this much- especially about himself. His family, his sister (who I remember very well), his run-ins with the Avatar… He told me all about his time searching for him. Gaining his honour back. “I thought for a long time that I wanted to please my father, because he’s my family.” His expression turned solemn, much like I remembered it. “I also thought that family was flesh and blood- people I’ve grown up with. But… I think now family are the people who care about you enough to raise you, protect you, teach you. Maybe even die for you.” He smiled sadly at me and stopped a few yards from our destination. “My father didn’t raise me. But he taught me a lot. A lot of things I wish I hadn’t learned.”

Again he smiled, but this time more like he was trying to cheer himself up. “You’re a great listener, by the way. Has anyone ever told you that?”

I shook my head and continued towards the stand where a thin crowd huddled, now thoroughly depressed. “I’ve never had a home like yours, but I can’t imagine being thrown from it like you have been.” What am I supposed to say? “Your life sounds horrible”? That wouldn’t go over well.

I pulled Rin aside from the stand after acknowledging his busy parents working with demanding customers. “Rin, Lee has a rather large order for you. Would you mind helping us carry what he orders up to his new shop?”

His tired face lit up. “No problem! I need some time out of this tiny shop anyways.” He, much like the Prince moments earlier, would not stop talking once he got going. He and the Prince conversed like long-time best friends. The Prince gave him the leftover 15 copper coins after his purchase of 12 huge boxes each of different teas, and the friendship was struck. I rolled my eyes at their banter and helped Rin tie three of the crates to his back while he rattled on about a nice tavern down in the main square of the lower level that he and “Lee” could hang out at sometime. The Prince seemed genuinely interested in the conversation. I’ve never known him to be so happy, especially when speaking about something as trivial as where to eat next.

I hefted the last four crates onto my shoulder and began walking without warning the two lovebirds, who just followed behind me without breaking their talk. Chipping wood dug deep into my bare shoulder, the sun beat down like a relentless slavedriver, and the crowd of people pushed the three of us like waves in an ocean. I’ve only seen the ocean once, but it was the most beautiful thing… Huge, vast, neverending water. So much water- but not for drinking. Found that out the hard way. I remember Dad telling me it’s filled with salt, and it’ll make you throw up. Of course, he only told me that after I’d already had some. I shuddered at the memory of the aftermath. Ugh. Disgusting. My sister laughed at me, called me a failing merman. Then the new term had to be explained to me- a fanciful man with the tail of a fish, rows of pearls draping his neck and a crown of shells. Her stories were always the best.

My mood entirely flipped, causing me to sigh. Luckily we had arrived at the new shop, apparently named “The Jasmine Dragon”. “Uncle picked it out.” The Prince’s voice was full of pride as he gazed at the name carved of wood over the doorway we passed under. The inside was bare with the exception of a few new tables and chairs stacked haphazardly against the wall, waiting to be placed and eaten at. We followed him to the back room, which led to an upstairs and was lined with empty shelves and cupboards. I set my crates down and helped the Prince with his roped boxes, then Rin while they continued talking. “I have to go to work,” I interrupted quietly.

They stopped for a moment to bid me goodbye. “I’ll see you around, Iwa,” Rin waved and smiled as always, bright and cheerful. While he started organizing the tealeaves, the Prince stepped a bit closer and I thought his hand hesitated for a moment, maybe almost as if he would place it on my shoulder.

But he scratched his neck instead and glanced at the ground. “Thanks for listening earlier,” he whispered, looking back at Rin to make sure he wasn’t paying attention. Then back into my eyes with his own gold circles. “It was relieving. I felt… great. I had a great time. And maybe we should just hang out next time? No work.”

Now I was confused. He had no reason to spend time with me any more than when we worked together. Maybe he needs a favour. I don’t know, but I can’t reject the Prince. “Sure, anytime.” I shrugged and started towards the exit. “You can stop by whenever, or ask Rin where I am. He knows, most of the time.”

He nods, still staring at me as I leave. “Cool, cool.” And then he sent me an awkward wave. “I’ll see you around, then.”

I nodded back, now feeling uneasy about breaking eye contact first. “Sure.”

He laughed shakily, and quickly turned back into the kitchen. I just as quickly walked out of the shop back to the outer gates. My legs began to burn from the strain of all the walking I’d been doing.

My chest began to throb for reasons unknown.