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“Some friendships are so strong, they can even transcend lifetimes.”

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Korra and Melinoë | @nymfernal “i need this to go perfectly.” / for korra

𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, cold on open scrapes where blood still glimmers, even in the dwindling light of the mountain. The two of them may not have known for long, but fighting bad guys together has a way of bringing people together. Melinoë's brawn and sharpness alone merit respect, but the Avatar senses an inkling of deeper kinship ; a piece of herself, reflected in Melinoë's desperation.

The Avatar knows what it's like to burn with a goal and throw every last fiber of her being into fighting for it.

Understanding eyes meet Melinoë's, but they keep a hard edge, as not to draw her away from her determination. She recalls the many times she'd walked into a crucial fight, with everything resting on the outcome. " I know. " she says, in a loud voice to carry over the storm.

She shifts a little closer to her, as much as the perilous ridge of the mountain allows, with the constant gales ravaging it. " Believe me, I know what it's like to be fighting for the fate of the whole world. You want it to be perfect, for everyone's sakes -- but between you and me, I think showing up to fight is most important. "

Perfection is like an old poison, like the droplets of metal that once circulated within her. Nobody could rush her fight or healing, and this certainly isn't the place to do so -- and maybe, there isn't much that she can say to make things better for Melinoë. They have a huge fight ahead of them, after all, if the rumors of this Tyhpon are anything to go by.

All she knows is, that she always had her friends to back her up, and Melinoë's been struggling all by herself, for who knows how long.

She lands a warm hand onto Melinoë's shoulder, her skin hot with exertion and adrenaline despite the cold wind. " We make a great team, Mel. This thing will never know what hit it. "

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Korra and Aang | @bndair i need you to tell me what happened from start to finish.

𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘬𝘺, and she scrambles to gather herself -- wipe her eyes one more time, breathe in deep, blink just to make sure that Aang isn't a mirage. The relief and the weight of this moment are still just a storm that buffets her, and she knows all too well that it might be gone in a flash.

Her embarrassment is still red and clammy -- it may not have been the most tactful thing to rush to embrace her revered predecessor, but she hadn't known what else to do with all her relief and elation.

Now, though, it's like all her shortcomings and flaws are on full display for the previous Avatar, and she can do nothing about it.

Yet, she still wills herself to face him. There's no way she's letting this moment slip past her fingers.

Despite her nerves, she can't reign in the huff of a laugh that emerges at his question. It's an enormous one to start with, for sure. " Well, I could -- I could probably talk here for several days if you wanted the detailed account. But I'll try to keep it short and snappy. "

Her features settle into something more serious and pensive as she considers her recount. " The last time I managed to connect with my past lives, when I saw you, I'd lost most of my bending. But you gave it back to me. " At this, a light passes over her features.

" After that, I fought my uncle, who had fused with Vaatu in order to become the Dark Avatar, and I lost my connection to the past lives. I almost lost my connection to Raava, too. I thought I'd never be able to see you, or any of the past lives again. "

Getting to see Aang's reaction to all that's happened is kind of unreal. The temptation to drop the next bit of information is too much to resist -- and they can recount everything else in between later, right?

This is the one thing she has to tell him.

" Then, some more spirity stuff happened, and now there are new airbenders. The Air Nation is rebuilding, with Tenzin and his kids guiding them. "

Her heart hammers, and her breath stills in her throat, anticipating the next moments.

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❖ || 𝔹 𝕆 𝕃 𝕀 ℕ 𝕀 𝕋 𝕐 - roleplay blog for BOLIN from the legend of korra post-series & post-comics ❖ multiship & multiverse ❖ low/mid activity ❖ written by al { rules || pinned post || aus & verses } ❖ please read rules before interacting. thanks!

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PROMPTS THAT START WITH "I NEED..." *  assorted dialogue, adjust as necessary

i need to go away for a while.

i need you to start trusting me.

i need things to go smoothly this time.

i need everyone to calm down.

i need you to stay with me.

i need to be something more than this.

i need you to listen to me.

i need you to stop talking and let me do this.

i need to tell you something serious, and it might scare you when i say it.

i need more out of this relationship than you're giving me right now.

i need a stiff drink.

i need to take a nap.

i need things to go my way for once.

i need better than you. i just didn't see that until right now.

i need answers.

i need a quick explanation.

i need at least five more minutes to finish getting ready.

i need your body against mine.

i need your tongue in my mouth.

i need you to fuck me.

i need my head to stop spinning.

i need to sit down for a second to catch my breath.

i need everyone to clear out of this room.

i need a change of clothes.

i need you to look at me when you're talking to me.

i need to leave this place and never come back.

i need to tell you something urgently.

i need you to shut up.

i need romance. i need passion.

i need you to give me more emotion.

i need your gun.

i need you to cover me.

i need this to go perfectly.

i need a win.

i need you in my life.

i need there to be more communication between us.

i need to know how you feel about me.

i need you to stop bullshitting.

i need to know if we're more than friends.

i need you. only you.

i need to get to a hospital.

i need you to put pressure on that wound.

i need you to keep talking to me.

i need more than you're willing to give me, and i think that's always going to be a problem with us.

i need someone better.

i need you to tell me what happened from start to finish.

i need to go to the bathroom.

i need a trash can.

i need someone to hold my hand.

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✎ㅤ. . .ㅤ𝑩𝑳𝑶𝑶𝑫 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑫𝑨𝑹𝑲𝑵𝑬𝑺𝑺.

₊˚⊹ ㅤa collection of loose quotes taken from various characters from hades (supergiant games). these quotes are from the first game of the series. writing/roleplaying prompts. from fluff to angst! feel free to edit as you see fit, especially since some are gendered.

❝ i’m leaving. try and stop me. ❞ ❝ that could have gone better. ❞ ❝ why can’t you just stay? ❞ ❝ i wish you could come with me. ❞ ❝ you’re coming with me. ❞ ❝ i have to take you back. ❞ ❝ but for you, i will be making an exception. ❞ ❝ whew… they’re gone. ❞ ❝ now, come on, we got places to be! ❞ ❝ may the fates favour your journey. ❞ ❝ oh you know, i’d rather have my eyes put out, but thanks for offering! ❞ ❝ if only… ❞ ❝ you should be ashamed of yourself, and learn your place. ❞ ❝ ahh, so you are taking pity on me, then? ❞ ❝ i’m sorry that it has to be this way. ❞ ❝ you’re late. ❞ ❝ will i see you soon? ❞ ❝ did you miss me? ❞ ❝ i’m home. ❞ ❝ we’re heading home. ❞ ❝ you… came back? ❞ ❝ i hope i didn’t keep you waiting very long, did i? ❞ ❝ is something wrong? ❞ ❝ i can’t believe this. ❞ ❝ i’m in your debt. ❞ ❝ there’s going to be payback, you know. ❞ ❝ … damn you. ❞ ❝ this is for you. ❞ ❝ do you remember me? my name is—ah, nevermind. ❞ ❝ i’m not who you think i am. ❞ ❝ keep following that heart of yours. ❞ ❝ to hell with this place! ❞ ❝ fear is for the weak. ❞ ❝ oh, look at you, you poor, poor thing, you’re hurt! ❞ ❝ you’re such a sweetheart. ❞ ❝ you brought this on yourself. ❞ ❝ no need to thank me, mate. ❞ ❝ please, i don’t want to do this… ❞ ❝ you don’t have to do this… ❞ ❝ only the best for you. ❞ ❝ i hope you’re right. ❞ ❝ gods grant me strength… ❞ ❝ that is the worst idea i think i’ve ever heard. ❞ ❝ do you understand how little sense that makes? ❞ ❝ look what i found! ❞ ❝ something’s changed about the beating of your heart. ❞ ❝ no wonder they don’t like you. ❞ ❝ wish i could be there to see your face. ❞ ❝ i’ll earn your favour yet. ❞ ❝ how bad could it be? ❞ ❝ hello there, handsome. ❞ ❝ … this is the cheesiest thing i’ve heard from you. ❞ ❝ what has gotten into you? ❞ ❝ blood and darkness! ❞ ❝ lucky for you, i’ve no pride like many others here. ❞ ❝ it’s over. i’m sorry. ❞ ❝ go. away. i won’t repeat myself. ❞ ❝ i knew your heart was true. ❞ ❝ let’s kiss and make up! ❞ ❝ mischief, me? oh please! ❞ ❝ i don’t know how you can stand this kind of thing… ❞ ❝ you tried. that’s what matters. ❞ ❝ a man after my own heart… ❞ ❝ why won’t you give up? ❞ ❝ ever so stubborn, aren’t you? ❞ ❝ life and death, one and the same. ❞ ❝ you’re running from yourself. again. ❞ ❝ what do you want from me? leave me alone. we’ve nothing to discuss anymore. ❞ ❝ i cannot bring myself to stay upset with you forever. ❞ ❝ the truth is i’m a lover, not a fighter. ❞ ❝ i have to see her! ❞ ❝ so how goes wilful disobedience of late? ❞ ❝ you think all these gifts will make things go back to the way they were? ❞ ❝ we’re older now—i’d hope we’re wiser, too. ❞ ❝ i have to go. ❞ ❝ we were having such a good time! ❞ ❝ time is up. ❞ ❝ you’re so reckless. ❞ ❝ thank you for always keeping me on my toes. ❞ ❝ your luck’s run out. ❞ ❝ i don’t know why i bother with you, honestly. ❞ ❝ may i call you my friend? ❞ ❝ i’d like to make a toast, to you! ❞ ❝ no need for special thanks. ❞ ❝ i’ve some memories i’m not quite ready to give up on yet. ❞ ❝ i’ll break your heart. ❞

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The Prince's indignance is met with with a brazenly deflective shrug. She'd never give in so easily, and they both know it. Her humored but nevertheless ignited gaze is kept on him, except to roll to the sky at his theatrics.

I eat whatever you put in front of me. Yeah, right. She knows. But most frustratingly, the Prince predicts and blocks her strike, and she's left bending fire at him from her seething regard alone. " Psh, yeah, in a few hours you'll be happy to suck my toes. "

His genuine and practical suggestion tempers her however, challenge melting into affection. " Sounds good. Let's do it. "

The Avatar never needed much pushing when the action was clear. In no time, she's back at the Prince's side with a gluttonous haul of dumplings, fit for their shameless appetites.

The buildings and paved roads are quick to give way to a forested incline, inching towards mountain tops that still bathe in golden light. " Uhh, I'm thinkin', " the Avatar says, mouth full of dumpling, " we hike far enough so the village doesn't hear your moans. " Grinning, she braces for retaliation. It might be too ambitious for them to find somewhere with total privacy and freedom, what with the echoing valleys and the total quiet, but she hardly cares -- as long as nobody comes to bother them.

 “ I will not be called 'as heterosexual as they come' by you, of all people, Korra. ” The Prince's face displays a scoff, despite the truth of the Avatar's words.  

“ Last I checked, not counting our current relationship, we were tied for acts of unsolicited homosexuality thank you very much. ” Arms cross over his chest, raven hair moving up as Zagreus raises his chin in challenge to his significant other. A pointed finger tapping her shoulder as he met her stride as they finally began their move down the road. “ Mako, Asami. Thanatos, Meg. You're no more heterosexual than I am and you know it. ” Such conversations were par for the course. No tender moment was complete without some challenge, nor moment of intimacy mapped without goading in some form or another. 

 “ Second of all oh-great Avatar, I eat whatever you put in front of me. And before you get any ideas, for the time being I am talking about real food. ” They knew each-other well, the Prince predicting what she might offer in her usual brazen and ornery way. That would come later, as for now they had the herculean task of staying on track in order to make a campsite before dark. He affords her face where his lips set in a line, eyes set on the road. Not before quipping his voice again, curious. 

“ Food stand on the road, get dumplings, make camp, make out? ” 

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i laugh at gravity all the time !!      ha ha ha !    gravity              independent  &&  headcanon heavy    AVATAR AANG     from  nickelodeon’s  AVATAR :  THE LAST AIRBENDER / THE LEGEND OF KORRA.       est oct. 2020. /  reboot may 2025.        low activity  &&  private.       loved by poppins.

carrd   ( rules  /  about  /  verses )     |     tag directory      |     spotify     |     pinterest

an exploration of :   the all-loving hero ,  badass pacifism ,  subverting heroic machismo ,  surviving genocide ,  incorruptible pure pureness ,  kindness and joy in a cruel world ,   a fish out of temporal water ,  the burdens of the chosen one ,  && more

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I've got my own stakes in my own game

I've got my own name and it's my way.

𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐔𝐓𝐋𝐔𝐊 — indie sel. priv. unalaq from legend of korra. 21+. penned by faolan.

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The Prince's reply draws a laugh out of her. Each moment of their reunion reminds her of why she fell for him, and make her fall just a little deeper. His hands are hot against her cheeks, no doubt owing their warmth to his fiery home deep below, to the blazing spirit roiling right beneath his skin. Neither of their origins ever concerned her much -- Zagreus is a perfectly believable firebender and weaponsmaster -- but in passing moments, she is reminded of how extraordinary he is, in ways she doensn't fully comprehend.

Right now, his words make it impossible to forget, but she finds it all paling in comparison to everything else he speaks to her, words that leave her ears red. It's so typical of him, bending his words with such graceful ease, always knowing what she needs to hear, like the gentlest strikes that bypass her defenses and reach her heart. Most devious of all, she can't reply in kind, too flustered to think and lacking his talent.

All she can do is bask in his loving voice, in the reassurance and warmth it lends her, and gaze at him with all that her heart yearns to voice. She's way ahead of him when he moves for another kiss, leaning into him with fervor, throwing her arms around him, desperate to show him just how much his words mean to her -- and maybe, to get back at him for them, just a little.

When they pull apart, he gives her a reason to laugh again. She gives his chest a gently, playful push. " Oh, please, uncharacteristic? Don't kid yourself. " With most of her nerves shaken off now, it's way easier to jab back at him. " Didn't you just pour your heart out to me and then kiss me like your life depended on it? Sorry to break it to you, but I think you're as heterosexual as they come. " It's impossible to get it all said without laughing though, and she already braces for some imminent retribution.

When she gets a moment to catch her breath, she makes sure to dive right back into the topic of food, or they'll find themselves lost on another tangent. " So, food. Let's get some. I don't really mind where, to be honest. Maybe I'm craving some dumplings. " She shrugs for added effect. " What about you, Princey Pants? "

❝ I'm not in a rush. Well. That is to say I'm not hurrying to get anywhere with particular haste. As for hunger, I'm always hungry. ❞ She is just as restless as the Prince, Zagreus noticing as much in her subtle motions. Such actions evoke a smile upon the lips of the god, and he finds her grasp in his once more. Despite the eons, each and every moment shared with the Avatar is one which seems to last twice the eternity he has already reigned. Allowing her to speak was a simple affair, and he did so gladly. When she had brought her gaze to meet his own, he brought his hands to cup her face. A teasing gesture of juvenile playfulness that was below the Prince, and yet—

❝ Korra, I've waited my entire impossibly-long-thanks-to-godhood life to meet you. Or rather, somebody like you. Who never fails to make me happy without so much as a word being said from your behalf. Look. ❞ Her gaze takes the words from his throat, and the smoldering chthonic fire of his heart melts further as she met his eyes. Yet still the ever-flapping gums of Zagreus blither on. ❝ If it's two weeks, two years, or two centuries... You'll find me on the shore waiting as if you had left yesterday. You are... ❞ Everything. It is plain enough without being said. His heart skips under her touch, viewing the woman in-front of him as the Avatar of more than the elements. She was able to bend his heart, his breath and his touch without difficulty. But yet, to describe such a feeling was beyond the Prince. And so he simply puts a hand on her cheek, then brings their lips together for a moment longer. An attempt to hide the growing flush of mortal blood that filled his cheeks. Turning away as if to hide the growing expression of fondness and conceal his embarrassment. 

❝ Right, er. Food. I completely forgot what I was going to say. Maybe something we could get on the road? Apologies I'm completely lost in an uncharacteristically heterosexual moment. ❞

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Desna and Shoko　-　 @cigarettedaisychains

His gaze darts to the side at her question, to confine in his sister for an answer, but it awards only an embarrassing reminder he diverted from her. A choice, wasn't it? His mind nevertheless automatically supplies what his sister would say, making up for her absence. Perhaps it can be of use to sample the substance that has enslaved our fellow student. Do you wish to understand her feeble and susceptible mind?

His gaze returns to Shoko, and he doesn't have an answer.

She continues to talk however, and talkative people usually vex him, but somehow her blabber is tolerable. Amusing, even. Unlike his sister and father, Shoko doesn't attempt to read his mind or pause to scrutinize him. She doesn't evaluate and simply acts, suggesting the same staggering lack of judgement her choice to smoke does. She should be pitiable and not worth his time, but he's still here, driven by a curiosity he can't justify.

The next events are so inconceivable that for a moment he can only watch them unfold. Shoko not only suggests they share the cigarette, but also reaches for his hand and touches him. No one besides his innermost circle are permitted such intimate acts. He has banished countless servants for less! And yet again, he can't justify why this doesn't offend him.

Rather, this intrigues him. Shoko's touch is soft and warm, very different to that of his sister. Shivers travel down his back, perhaps at her insolence, perhaps at how much cooler the evening air suddenly feels. He stares at her, desperate for an explanation, keen to observe her -- and perhaps to marvel at her, just a little, as her fingers linger upon his in a way others never have.

Then, just as he's certain that this is the very pinnacle unexpected events, she calls him babe as she leaves the cigarette in his grasp. Heat plasters against his face as though inside a stuffy fire-warmed tent, but the cigarette cindering away in his hand leaves no time to dwell.

He brings the smoking roll to his lips, willing himself to watch her as he does. None beside his family have ever held his gaze like this. None have dared or deserved it. Sought it.

Just as he nears something of a comfort in gazing at her, the acrid currents of smoke sear his taste buds and fill his throat, and a wave of stinging, prickling nausea engulfs him. He jolts around to face away from Shoko, dissolving in a fit of coughs, toppling to his knees on the snow, cigarette flying away from his hand. He wheezes there on all fours, eyes watering, palming at his throat. Then, in a fit of unthinking desperation, he bends some of the nearby snow into water, and shoves it into his mouth, possibly very deep -- because he soon retches it all out.

Heaving in a low pile of limbs and robes, chin dripping, he doesn't know what to say. He can't recognize a single thing he feels right now, only that he recalls a training session where his father cursed him for his failed attempt at an advanced technique. Hiding within the comforting veil of his long hair, he is petrified between the desire to flee and erase this encounter from history, and the gnawing need to appear strong and unaffected.

"And cigarettes would be your choice?" Shoko asks, genuinely curious as to why, of all things, Desna would pick smokes as his choice of poison. A part of her wished she'd never even gotten into smoking either - especially when she thought about how bad it can smell if not careful. Thankfully Shoko was one of the rare few who kept herself clean enough to where the scent only lingered for a few minutes after she was done, but others? You could smell them a mile away.

"Y'know, alcohol is far more fun of a vice, if this doesn't suit you, then let's do that instead." She tuts whilst reaching into her pocket to fish out a small, opalescent cigarette box. Rather than open, though, she glances between both carried objects a few times before she clasps her hand around the box and tucks it way. "And maybe, for your first try, we share." That way it wouldn't go to waste. These weren't as easy to come by as one might think.

Shoko reaches out to take Desna's hand and turns it until his palm is facing the ground. "You'll want to hold it between these two--" she slides the tip of her finger across the seam of his middle and fore, then lets her gaze lift to meet his once more as she lifts her cigarette-clad hand up into view. "--Then, you wanna breathe it in deep within your chest, hold it - let it swirl in there a little, before exhaling~" Shoko continues by slowly demonstrating and, as she does, she maintains eye contact through the process - his piercing gaze sending goosebumps across her skin.

He'd always intrigued her - both he and his sister - but when Desna had started showing Shoko more attention than others she... grew interested. Fascinated, even. What would someone like him want to do with someone like her? She wasn't of his status, nor was she anything special (in her eyes, at least), so what'd intrigued him so much? Not that Shoko really minded... there was something about getting to see a side of him no one else did - including his sister - that made Shoko preen.

When she takes the smoke away, she reasches out and slips it between his two fingers before slowly exhaling - lips pursed slightly to one side as though she can control where the milky cloud blew. Shoko allowed her fingers to linger for far too long before she drew them back, arms crossing over her chest. "Go on then. Show me what you've got, babe~"

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Continued from here.　-　 @cigarettedaisychains

She's not quite sure how he finds her, but in reality - should one use their nose, she's not exactly the hardest to find. When he tracks her down, Shoko's posed with said crass item out the back of the healers quarters taking a much needed dissociation break. But as Desna breaks the seal of their conversation first, Shoko raises the eyebrow closest to the side he's standing on to show he's peaked her interest. Well, if there was one thing Desna certainly knew how to do, it was get her attention. Shoko licks her lips and laughs softly. "Why does something tell me that won't come without some sort of price...?" She jests, her voice having taken on a teasing tone despite it being a real chance. "But as someone who can heal practically anything, it's nice to dance with death every so often." She tacks on easily, not ashamed of her more dangerous and uncouth methods of feeling something. Whilst Desna continues on, Shoko glances sidelong at the raven and smirks around her cigarette as she takes a slow, deliberate pull from it. "Is that so?" she meets his fleeting gaze, amusement sparkling in her eyes. Only then does Shoko finally turn herself to face him, arms crossed but making sure she's holding her cigarette at an angle and distance where it won't bother him. "And why might that be, hm? Feeling like being a little rebellious yourself~?"

The playful jests bring an undeniable quirk to the corner of the heir's mouth, in a way scarce few things can. Her words stir his mind, their ripples almost bare to the eye, and amusement -- whether fond or not -- passes over his countenance. There is also a distinct warmth that rises to his features, exacerbated by the brief meeting of their gazes, and her subsequent turn towards him.

Normally, such an exchange would be intolerable, but Shoko is proving exceptional, for better or worse. Being around her is strange, bearable in a way he associates with his sister alone. She embodies the two traits he associates with family, exempt from all others: not being boring, and not leaving the areas he enters ( which is normally his preference. ) He must keep all this to himself until he understands more, because his sister would annihilate any who challenge her position.

Shoko's question hangs in the air like a flickering ember.

" Perhaps. It is good to broaden one's frame of reference. " At this, his mouth is yet again tugged at the corner.

As he watches her sidelong, his arm slowly rises towards her and the heavy sleeve of his robe pulls up to reveal his palm. " You may hand me one, and instruct me on its use. " Then, he adds, in a rare moment of consideration, " Don't worry, you will not be heinously punished for drugging me. "

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At the Glacier Spirits festival with Mako　-　 @ninetaels

She has never seen Mako the way he appears now, beneath the glow of the festival lanterns, not even beneath the fog-diffused streetlights of Republic City's nightly roads. This light was for many years a memory, like a painting hung on the wall of the compound for her to yearn after. To not forget the outside world.

It's a beautiful light, but it also upsets her. Puts her on edge, like so many things nowadays. Worse, she doesn't have a clear thing to go after, only this ambiguous sense that many things are lost or amiss, all at once. She is both connected and disconnected, a visitor in her own home, in her own memory, a girlfriend on a date and an Avatar on duty, a chief's daughter on home turf that feels foreign. How was everything so much simpler back in Republic City?

Mako, in this light, is like an apparition, like a totally different artist had picked up that painting of her memory and added him there. This deep-seeping feeling of disconnect infuriates her, and she squeezes onto his arm with a little too much force, trying to make them both fit the only way she knows how, by pushing just a little harder.

But she's still distracted. A little further away, she notices @bolinity, and who he is talking to. It had been a few years since she last saw @lustraveil, until they reunited again at the pier, where the Northern Watertribe ship docked for the festival just earlier in the day. It's strange to see her childhood friend grown up, strange to see him from afar in the place where they were once close. Strange, that other people have grown just as significant to her, if not even more so, due to their diverged paths.

Mako, Bolin. She thinks of Asami too, briefly, and tastes a hint of guilt. The same taste which surfaces now, as she gazes at her childhood friend from the arms of her partner.

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As she feels her smile verge upon a cringe, she can but wonder why she can't just reign it in. It's only Zagreus! And he's nowhere near as flustered as she is. If only people knew that their Avatar gets all shaky in her boots because of something as simple as hanging out with her boyfriend.

Well, they'd probably be happy that he's nice, and handles the situation much better than her. The kiss says what he needn't, but does anyway. Parting from him, things shift a little closer to how they left them a few weeks back -- with her beginning to feel silly in proportion. Like a spasiklas, as he puts it.

" Oh I'm -- I'm not worried, I just ... " and she catches herself raising defenses where none are needed. Her fingers fidget between his, settle hesitantly. " Or, well, maybe a little. You know it's ... been a while, and this is still new. I guess I was a little nervous to see if anything had changed since few weeks back. But you've only been nice and I'm just -- being all jumpy about it. "

It's easy to talk to him, as usual, and word by word she finds herself more unburdened. " I guess I just ... need some time to settle into this whole girlfriend thing again. " Then, a smile. It's a nice thing to settle into, as much trouble as her nerves are giving her.

Thinking little of it, she leans in to rest her head against the crook of her partner's collar, instinctively chasing the closeness, the antidote it might provide to her reservations. Warmth, to melt away the weeks spent apart at their respective duties. She knows just which way to shift to find her favorite angle, knows the scent of his clothes before smelling them. Everything is as it has been, and all she has to do now is enjoy it. Can't be harder than maintaining the balance of the world, right?

The serene moment is left short-lived however, as excitement bubbles up with her partner's suggestion, and she rises to face him. " Let's do it! We can get a head start that way. Not to speak of being unbothered -- I guess people do really like to approach me... " She pauses then, slowing down to gather her next words with care. " I'm ... really glad we're going, Zag. I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss you these past weeks. Or look forward to this trip. "

As she looks at him then, it's all she can think. Besides admiring him, of course, his features drawn in nothing short of the fiery, tender spirit within. It will always steal a bit of her breath away, won't it? Without even noticing, she's drifted close enough that when she finally leans in, little distance remains to cross. Words alone can never quite express what she thinks, but maybe this is a start.

A shared look with him in the aftermath is enough to bring the red back on her cheeks, but this time she won't let it deter her. She shifts closer to him, legs touching. Hers are growing rather restless, with adventure looming so close by. " Soo ... should we get going? If you're hungry, we could stop somewhere for a bite before we start the hike. "

❝ Uhm.. with you, I suppose? ❞ He takes a moment to pause, attempting to read her expressions. His face shifts to one of contentment and ease, her hand finding his a tender grip. She stumbles and trips over herself, a tell she was a bit flustered. It endears to him. ❝ Anywhere in the shade is preferable. ❞ Zagreus was not the best with the bright light.  He preferred the dim shade and shadows to open sunlight, more sensitive to it than most. And yet he would gladly endure it at her side. As she attempts to un-fluster herself by elaborating further upon her remark, his body shifts its weight and his hand lightly brings hers to his lips for a small kiss.

❝ Spasiklas.. ( Dork ) Korra, you don't have to worry so much. I'm not terribly picky, you know that. ❞ He's like a contrast, perfectly comfortable with her. His words leave him tenderly, as if delicately aware of that fragile feeling and handling it with care. What charisma he has is given with all his sincerity, unable to fake that which folows or not naturally. But he weighs on her question. He tilts his head to the side, as if inviting her own to lean on the space between his shoulder and neck: But not consciously. The Prince could not conjure such ideas of romantic gesture on such a whim, not smoothly.

❝ A valley may be nice. Something off the beaten path a bit. Maybe to the east, up the mountain a bit? Somewhere where we can be reasonably alone without causing a fuss. I'd much prefer somewhere people aren't going to be approaching you to sign things. ❞

[avatarwithin]

The Avatar has truly tried to cling to decorum while playing with the heroic best friend of her predecessor, but her true disposition is bleeding through ; boredom, borne of a lack of interest and subsequent skill in the game. Her patience has corroded away, overrun by the desire for something, anything, of excitement. Cue her strange, downright lunatic moves in the hunt for entertainment.

She is caught red-handed, but tries her best not to let her mouth bend into too much of a pout. " With all respect, I prefer battles that are more ... hands on? I'm not really good with this boardgame stuff. " Her smile is apologetic, embarrassed. " And, I doubt I'm any match to someone taught by Iroh himself. But it's ... good if this helps you think? "

She reaches for one of her playpieces and performs another move equaling total insanity. " To be honest, I kind of just wanted to see something happen. You should try playing with Asami instead, if you want a proper match. I'm ... growing very aware that I'm not the most pai sho-savvy Avatar. "

The notion ignites a new spark in her gaze as she looks up at the former Firelord from the board. " Actually, did -- did Aang like pai sho? Or boardgames in general? "

@untoldwithin : korra ⸻⸻ starter call , zuko

❝ well , it's not something i think is a strategy in a board game . do you normally have a tendency to act more playful when bored ? ❞ thoughtful reproach is held . hand moving repetitively over beard . expression woefully trained on the pai sho pieces before them both .

❝ perhaps it's doing this , i'm sure there's something else to do . i've found it allows me to think more clearly while busying my hands in my old age . ❞

[avatarwithin]

me on this blog today

[avatarwithin]

The stack of papers on her desk has grown in the past few days, and her hands lay firmly positioned to crack at them, pen at the ready. Yet, nothing is written. The tip of the pen hovers just barely above the paper, slowly beginning to leak ink, mid-sentence, like it had forgotten its purpose. The rest of her body is not even pretending to be engaged, leaned back in her chair, trained onto watching the wall, and beyond. If she could see herself, she would've snapped at herself to stop ogling at nothing. But she does not see the room, or even her work documents for that matter. She isn't even in Zaofu, but at a beach close to the inn, which Aang's family had been staying at.

It's very dim, almost night, and the air is heavy and fragrant. Birds have long retired to sleep, and only the waves remain, growing louder and wilder with the night. The water is balmy, warm as sunlight. She feels each wave, a warm blanket sliding over her body, washing over their joined hands, and then receding.

　　　Lin, sweetheart.

She turns from where she lay on the sand, smiling, to see --

　　　What's this I hear about you seeing an acupuncturist here in Zaofu?

A frown settles in, wiping away the smile that had just played on her lips. She sees the room, feels her toes in her boots, her arms against the desk. Zaofu. Kya? Lin jolts, thumping at her desk, sending some papers flying and accidentally bending her fountain pen out of shape. She almost falls back on her chair, but instinctively bends a pillar out of the floor to support her before that happens.

" Ky? Who gave you the permission to just walz in like that? " A sudden sting demands her to rub at her temple. Had she just called her Ky? That juvenile nickname?

Her senses have sharpened now, and she throws a vicious glare Kya's way, although it is quick to falter, to soften. Lin collects herself, rising from her chair and fixing her armor back in place, wiping back her tussled hair. " So you've come here to snoop, huh? " Her tone is disapproving, yet unsurprised. She grows colder, returning to the weight of her uniform, settling back into her boots. " Did my sister send you? "

❝Lin, sweetheart,❞

Ever honeyed she may sound breezing unannounced into these chambers, but the waterbender's eyes more resemble her homeland's tundras. It's hard – harder than she lets on – to not take @avatarwithin's actions to heart, but Kya's put in plenty of practice over the years.

She levels her with a raised brow and arms crossed. A dare familiar to lifelong friends: want to see how that steel-clad temperament stacks up against her frosty ire?

❝ - what's this I hear about you seeing an acupuncturist here in Zaofu?❞

Call it professional pride. Something more personal. They haven’t had a reason to journey together like this in years. Kind of stings.