avatarwithin

[avatarwithin]

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.

[avatarwithin]

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. ❞

[avatarwithin]

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~"

[avatarwithin]

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. "

[avatarwithin]

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.

[avatarwithin]

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.

[avatarwithin]

a time at the glacier spirits festival korra and suguru 　-　 @lustraveil

A crowd of people has formed around them, their attentions fixated by the display of prodigious bending. One continuous, constantly shifting stream of water dances in the air above them, catching the light of the festival lanterns and carrying it along in endless ebbs. Inside it, a shape travels. One would think it a live fish with how agilely it moves, with how vibrantly its sides gleam, but it is a figure, a wooden puppet of traditional craftsmanship, embedded with shards of shells. Below the marvel, in its midst, the young Avatar and her best friend move in tandem, giving the display life. It's a high level move that requires good coordination, fit for the two waterbending prodigies.

Beads of sweat glint on her forehead, and her fur jacket has been discarded in exertion, but her smile is one of thrill, and something only between her and her best friend. Of course, she hadn't been able to resist the sight of the moon-koi talisman, at its usual spot at the festival, meant to swim in streams of waterbending. Someone has to show all the kids how it's done, right?

Her arms weave and the water responds, and she feels it join the currents of energy bent by him, blending together into a single, unending cycle. She doesn't need to look at the water to know what to do next ; her every movement is a response to his, and his to hers, and all there is in that moment is their connection, their power, and the twirling streams created by them. Every now and then a wild glint shines in her eyes and she tests him, changing the pace or the pattern, sending the moon-koi figure in another direction. How about that, otter-penguin? In this manner, no words pass between them, everything expressed in the flow and tug of the water, in this game between them.

There is no plan or goal for the display, other than to honor the moon-koi with it -- and perhaps, to woo the festival crowd a little. However, to the young Avatar it's much more ; something she shares with Suguru alone.

Their hands join, and now they bend each with one arm, in movements that fluidly respond to one another, and the water slows its dance, morphs in a stretching cylinder that for a moment hides the two of them within. Glimmering walls of crystalline water wall them in, flood them in the lights of the festival, reflected, refracted, multiplied. The moon-koi swims along its length, unhurried, its embedded pearl eyes the only witness to the two hidden within.

There is immense familiarity in this swirl of lights, to the Avatar. Something within her responds to it, understands it, is of it. She almost remembers a regard, a fondness that has repeated over countless lifetimes, that roots her to the world. Countless faces flash, just short of familiar, nearly describable, but she recognizes only her best friend. Feelings drift over her, both hers and not, as she looks at him -- all of them the same, unnamed and indescribable, and while she can't find words for them, she is certain that this is their form:

　　her hand in his,

　　　surrounded by light,

　　even in the darkest days of the year.

[avatarwithin]

The comment which the Prince weaves in -- or rather, interjects -- gets a snicker out of the Avatar, coming out strangely shy for such a sound. It plants the seed for a fluster that blossoms soon after, when she is kissed by him in the same fashion. Sure enough, she wanted to retort, but his kiss jumbles whatever she'd wanted to say, and all of it is forgotten when he then speaks. The way she looks at him now is much softer. Still very much flushed, if not flustered. She chuckles, tucking away a strand of her hair. " I ... suppose you do. "

She's never been good at expressing herself in words, unlike Zagreus. Now, she finds that nothing will speak for her better than searching for his hand to intertwine with hers. " That reminds me, uh. Where do you want to ... sleep tonight? " She tries to sound casual while saying it, but can't, heart thumping and fingers curling against his. Immediately, she wishes she'd chosen different words, ones that suggested less.

" I-I mean where we're staying! But also sleeping, but it doesn't have to be that way, even though it's ... probably part of it? But it doesn't have to be. " Whether the ramble makes anything better is incredibly questionable. The two of them are something like lovers or partners now, which is amazing, but the piece of herself that always believed she'll be able to handle whatever comes her way is still a little wayward. Romance feels dangerous, fragile, like an element she can't bend. Not nearly as well as she once thought, anyway.

She also isn't one for elaborate plans. Where to rest is one among the details that just figure themselves out, usually. Out of the two of them, Zagreus seems to possess more creativity and opinions regarding the matter. Their options seem clear enough to her, nonetheless : either staying in town or starting off and camping somewhere. It won't be ... their flat in Republic City, but she's excited for the adventure. Less so for the duty that has tied her to these parts as of late.

His first reaction is one she might expect: To wince at the light. He comes hooded, sitting down besides her and turning his face away from the sun. Zagreus had always been sensitive to light, one of many peculiar perks he carried. And yet still he made an effort to savor the moment as it was. He paid attention to her words as intently as he did her gaze, the mirthful blue eyes of the Avatar making him wander in thought. They were as beautiful and vibrant as Zákynthos in the summer. Korra speaks quickly, and he does not have much time to get words in before she begins again: The two were a pair for each-other in that regard.

❝ Is this really the place for— Oh. It's something I can wear in public. Carry on. ❞ No he will not elaborate on what his initial thought was. His hands gently run over the fabric, and the smile that crests his lips is obvious and instant. Blue, purple, and white. It would look odd on him but he paid such thoughts no mind. When the socks were handed over, his thumb moved over them nonetheless. His heart was taken by them, and he would sooner return to the depths than reject such a gift.

The scrutiny in her gaze is returned by the Prince, who defensively raises a brow. ❝ You made the socks by hand in consideration of my comfort. I'm keeping them. And I'm going to treasure them forever, even if I'm unable to put them on due to a fire hazard that I may-or-may-not be able to control.  ❞

The Prince instinctively leans over and presses his lips against hers, seeing her about to respond. Get flustered and let me speak, dammit. The thought barely leaves him before he allows himself a moment to continue. ❝ You'd think for somebody so closely related to the winter itself, I'd have more of a tolerance— But I suppose I'll have to settle for using my partner for warmth alongside the thoughtful gifts she gives me. ❞

[avatarwithin]

It's a great relief when Bolin joins in on the evasion. The Avatar is quick to nod and chime in with all manner of yeahs and totallys. Who came up with this stuff, right? Still, her cheeks and ears continue their searing burn, with no promise of relenting for as long as the two of them lingered on the topic, and under this darned plant she hadn't been able to ignore.

" Yeah. Silly, " she echoes, chuckling a little, amused with Bolin's ramblings and the jokes woven in so effortlessly. Silly. Is it?

Her ears catch the words kiss you from Bolin's next word jumble, and suddenly her entire being flushes as hot as a glowing coal, stiff and stuck staring at him. She can't stop imagining it now, of looking at Bolin in this light beneath the mistletoe. Curiosity grows on her unbridled, wondering what it would be like to kiss him, to be cradled by his larger form like all the ladies in sappy romance stories. She can't deny she's wanted to experience that -- and it doesn't seem too strange for that to happen with Bolin, now that she considers it. It doesn't have to ruin their friendship, or mean anything either, does it? A part of her however, the wiser part now lost beneath excitement, knows that something will change irrevocably as a result. But that can no longer deter the young Avatar, too enchanted by the novelty and thrill to be had here. For better or worse, she has to get this impulse satisfied now.

" Uh, that ... doomed to bad luck does sound pretty bad, I think? " she starts, wishing she could facepalm at how stiff she sounds, even to herself. Better not linger on it. " If you believe that a ... hanging plant ... can cause such a thing. But it-- it doesn't hurt to be safe, right? "

Merely looking at Bolin burns now, and so her gaze darts around, searching for anywhere else to settle. The tips of her boots, idly or nervously shuffling at the thin layer of snow on the street, seem good enough for the moment. " Unless it's uh, totally stupid and you're not interested-- I mean, believing in that kind of bad luck stuff. "

It's her turn to huff out an unconvincing laughter. " Because I kind of wouldn't exactly -- mind? It's not like it has to be a big deal or mean anything, it's -- just for avoiding the plant curse ... thing. " When she dares look up at him then, it's with a vulnerability that she can't conceal, a question playing in the glint of her gaze.

The way she halts the two of them is a little sudden, yet hesitant. " I noticed, uh, " she begins, falling short of daring to elaborate. Put on the spot by none other than herself, an embarrassed red is creeping on her features. " There's this one silly tradition, " she tries again, a hand rising to rub her nape, " that if you happen to be under that plant up there, you're ... supposed to kiss? "

She attempts to look amused, to hold her gaze on Bolin, but both fall a little short, like her attempts at air bending. " It's also for like, couples, which we aren't -- exactly? So I don't know why I told you this. "

Only, that she does know-- but she can't just blurt out the whole truth now, can she? She'll have an even bigger mess in her hands. " I guess, growing up holed up at the compound I missed out on a lot of silly, regular stuff like this. "

一 korra to bolin! I heard you like mistletoes....... / from @avatarwithin

❖ || @avatarwithin

Bolin's soft green eyes along with his brows flicked up in the direction Korra pointed above their heads. Sure enough, someone had tied up a sprig of mistletoe: its white berries and long, rounded leaves contrasted with the bright red ribbon it hung by. His gaze trailed back down and focused back on the Avatar in front of him, clocking how her cheeks started to lean toward a shade closer to the ribbon he just looked at. Immediately, his ears started to follow suit as he started to feel hot under his collar, despite the lack of firebending taking anywhere near the two of them.

His thoughts immediately rushed between trying to process whatever rules he may have heard about this ritual over the years and Korra speaking at him about what she knew about it. He definitely knew about it... not that he personally ever came across it before either, like her. Yet, here they were.

"Oh- Uh, yeah!" His voice cracked a bit once he finally found it. Mortified, he quickly lifted a fist to his mouth as he cleared his throat. "I mean, yeah," he tried again, his voice dropping an octave lower than necessary. "It's just a silly winter thing, like you said. Nothing, like, serious or anything. I mean, for me, I can't say that I've been around it all that much since I lived on the streets — you already know the story — but I heard that anyone who turns down a kiss, they're doomed to bad luck."

While he was quick to ramble, it took him a moment to process what he just said before he started to fluster and his gaze was everywhere else but Korra, waving his hands dismissively. "I-I mean that just sounds like a way to kinda force someone to kiss 'em or something. And it's not like there's some Mistletoe Task Force in the RCPD that'll come and get people who don't do the thing..." He pursed his lips in apprehension before he tried to save face by nonchalantly lacing his fingers behind his head to appear more casual.

"Soooo, it's not like you're actually obligated to actually kiss anyone actually. It's just a silly winter thing. Yeah. So silly." The huff of a laugh that punctuated that sentence wasn't going to fool anyone as his cheeks burned hot as well as the rest of him. However, the idea wasn't that silly to him, but this display he had put on sure was. He needed to stop talking immediately.

"AndIdefinitelydidn'tmentioningthatpartbecauseIwantedtokissyouorwhatever, haaaah." The laugh that tapered the end of that marathon of words exited Bolin's mouth like an exasperated exhale. Despite the cold weather, he was sweating waterfalls at this point.

[avatarwithin]

lin beifong and mako　-　 @ninetaels

The way she rises to the driver's seat is curt, efficient, a wont etched into her by a lifetime of duty. Irritation is already drawing onto her features, preemptive of the racket and blaring lights awaiting around the Watertribe districts, thanks to the Glacial Spirits Festival. It'll make driving through town so much harder -- not to speak of the stakeout.

A glance to the passenger seat beside her confirms that her number one detective has received her token of appreciation ; a fountain pen of the finest craft, sturdy, streamlined and elegant. The only passable kind, if you asked her, when it came to writing with hand. The law enforcement had to hold onto some level of decorum despite their dirty work.

She starts the engine, adjusts the driver's mirror. " Don't mention it, kid. You deserved it. And you really needed a new one. "

[avatarwithin]

korra and zagreus 　-　 @sangreprince

Her hold loosened at last, releasing her friend from her embrace. " You had me worried you wouldn't find this place for a second there, " she teased, glad to put her doubts to rest. This wasn't exactly the most well-known Earth Kingdom town, so that alone had posed a challenge for their reunion, among other concerns -- which now appeared rather stupid and unfounded.

The place they had agreed to meet had a good view of the dimming sea, of the copious boats drifting along the coast lighting up like lanterns in the evening. It reminded her of the Glacial Spirits Festival, lent a sense of home, even in this faraway place. Now that Zag was here too, practically nothing was missing. " Oh, by the way, " she began, flipping over her backpack, " since we're headed to some kinda chilly places later, I thought I'd bring you some stuff -- since we both know you aren't exactly cold-proof. " She gave him a knowing, teasing glance from searching her bag's contents.

" First off -- underlayer! " A shirt made of a coarse, rigid fiber and dyed in Southern Watertribe colors was produced, handed over for the Prince to inspect. " It has Naga's hair in it. You won't even remember what cold feels like. " The statement was followed by a grin that had a sliver of pride to it. " And, socks. " Now, the Prince was given a pair of thick, woolen socks of uneven stitch -- no doubt crafted by two artisans of very different mileages. " I tried to make them by myself but, I'm nowhere near as good as my mom. Or as fast. But -- wait a second. " Her expression quickly fell into scrutiny, her gaze jumping between the Prince's feet and his eyes. " You often do that -- fire thing -- with your feet, right? "

[avatarwithin]

@eleutheriya

It is such a beautiful thing to find someone that can both accept you in your entirety and want to help you grow.

[avatarwithin]

My toxic trait is that I truly believe I could win a fight against anybody if I was mad enough. U might have the strength and size but I have pure, unfiltered rage.

[avatarwithin]

spicy headcanon asks | @sangreprince

these replies are specifically for the post canon + canon divergent verse dynamic between our muses ( korra and zag! )

Where are your Muse’s most sensitive erogenous zones?

　Korra is generally not very sensitive anywhere due to her late and little exploration, rigorous training and trauma. However, as she has heals and gains comfort, she becomes more sensitive. Her most sensitive zones are the sides of her ribs and waist, her lower abdomen along the v-line, her neck and at the corners of her jaw, if touched in a specific way.

What’s one thing that never fails to turn your Muse on?

　Usually Korra is rather reciprocative when she's attracted, so just simple initiation would likely have success. In more detail though: among physical features she finds the chest very sensual, and more abstractly she's drawn to intent, especially if it's intricate and smoldering. Confidence is also very important. The perfect concoction would be a combination of the above, more flirty attire donned along with delicate gestures that speak loudly. It's when she can read the decadence in her partner's eyes and feel it in their touch, unspoken -- her familiarity is in loud and direct dealings, so more soft and subtle advances get a stronger reaction out of her. Bonus points if her partner holds her waist and speaks in a low voice and watches her like they only see her ; she'll be very flustered lol.

What are your Muse’s thoughts on oral sex?

　For the longest time, she found oral awkward, due to how incredibly intimate and vulnerable she finds it. Her stance on it depends on the dynamic, but generally she tends to lean into it a lot more if she feels some level of reverence or protectiveness in relation to her partner. If such a dynamic isn't present, she'll be more likely to have trouble opening up and settling into a comfortable dynamic regarding it, which is the case with Zag ; she finds herself on pretty even ground with him and they're so similar it's sometimes like looking into a mirror, which throws her off a bit. Their friendship is so close to buddy-like sometimes and yet incredibly deep and natural, seamlessly bound to this magnetism between them ; it's a bond she's never experienced before, and needs time to adjust and understand what she feels. Before this happens, she tends to dance around the idea, especially of more dedicated sessions.

What are your Muse’s thoughts on anal sex?

　Her interest wanes at light teasing.

What are your Muse’s top 3 kinks?

　This varies between masculine and feminine, but on the masc side she would find edging, oil and rough sex interesting. She also finds total darkness very sensual and particularly enjoyable every now and then, due to the same reasons she is sensitive to softer and intricate advances.

What are some common words or phrases your Muse says during sex?

　Korra likes to say what she thinks, mostly! Usually it's things like compliments and it's so hot when xyz or xyz feels so good. She also tends to swear.

When was your Muse’s ‘sexual awakening’ and what happened? (With Zagreus specifically)

　With Zagreus specifically, the moment Korra first found him sexually attractive was when she met him, simply due to him being her type. However, the moment she was really hit with a concrete desire for him would be a moment after their friendship and her sentiments have had some time to simmer. Their friendship begins at a time where she's careful and a little walled off romantically, so even though the attraction is obviously there, she'll ignore and resist it first, scared of making a rash decision. The desire would surface after growing steadily in reassuring and recurring companionship, and it would be in little things while spending a lot of time with him ; admiring his form and movements, his power and prowess, the way he handles things in his hands, the sound of his voice, basking in the warmth of his friendship and the common physical affection / low touch barrier between them.