#'you just wanted to do rangi's make up but did two kyoshi's as a treat' i did

[sillyfudgemonkeys]

Avatar Generations didn't make it to the daofei arc, so I decided to matters into my own hand <(˘ ˘ ˘)>

(note, the last one I only edited Rangi's make up, Kyoshi was already in her make up TT0TT)

[swiftsaltsweet]

Two Knives Interlude 2: Rangi- Damn It

Characters: Rangi and Kyoshi (RoK characters tbh)

Pairing: Rangshi

Rating: M

Summary:

Things have been stressful for Kyoshi. First, she sang a poem and now the whole kitchen staff thinks it’s about Rangi, and is sure that there will be gossip. Then, Yun asks her to join him for the Fifth Nation treaty signing. Now Rangi’s acting strange. It’s becoming a bit much for Kyoshi’s small corner of the world.

(Canon Divergent AU- Kelsang wasn’t the one who heard the poem?….aka What if it took longer for them to realize Kyoshi was the Avatar?)

Other Sites: AO3 

A/N: Listen, can you even call it one of my fics if Rangi’s not going through it just a bit? u_u

I title this “the breaking down of a pine tree” uwu

____

Kyoshi’s such an idiot! Was Rangi's final verdict. But Rangi was in love with said idiot, which meant Rangi was a bigger idiot.

And she was an idiot without much of a plan. While her duty was to protect the Avatar first and foremost, she was willing to spread herself thin to make sure Kyoshi fell under that same protection. 

Her first order of business was getting Kyoshi some new gloves that went with the battle outfit that Jianzhu ordered for her. That same outfit happened to be something she and Yun were able to stop arguing long enough to pick out for Kyoshi. At least they could agree on that one thing.

Rangi still hadn’t given up convincing Yun to keep Kyoshi in Yokoya, she may not have been able to pressure Kyoshi into staying. But she could at least annoy Yun. It was her little revenge. A treat so to speak, just for her.

“Rangi!” she heard Yun yell her name from across the courtyard. 

Well he looks annoyed. She thought, a little gleefully, and tried to hide her smile of satisfaction that tugged at the corners of her mouth.

“Yes, Avatar?” she bowed to him.

“Walk with me,” he said in a low voice. Which meant, he had a private matter he wanted to discuss with her. Great. She’d fill the time airing her selfish request at him then.

They walked to a more secluded part of the mansion, only stopping when Yun found a sufficient spot.

“I know why you’re acting like this,” he said, his arms crossed. A little smugness gleaming in his eyes.

Rangi snorted. Well no duh. Yun knew how she felt about Kyoshi. The two of them had been competing for her attention and love since the day they all first met. He may have been her charge, but he was also her rival. She didn’t get why Yun was stating the obvious.

“Was I not apparent enough before? Or did you happen to forget?” she raised her eyebrow at him. Unimpressed at his sudden horrible memory. 

Yun laughed. “Oh, no, I’m hinting at a more recent development.”

That sent a wave of dread through Rangi.

“I…don’t know what you mean,” she forced out.

Yun smiled with his eyes closed, and began tapping his chin. Then he began to circle Rangi.

“I’ve got two knives that are cast in bronze / they pierce all the way to the soul” Yun began Kyoshi’s poem. He cracked open an eye to look at Rangi’s expression as he sang.

Rangi swallowed, throat suddenly dry. She kept her face expressionless. Not a lot of good it did her, with her quickly paling complexion and clammy sweat starting to form.

“They draw you in with the promise of sin / like the moth to the flame to the coal,” Yun continued his singing with gusto.

“What are you doing? When did you become a poet?” Rangi grumbled, trying to feign ignorance.

Yun kept circling, his smile smug. “I think you know exactly what I’m talking about Rangi. I mean, it’s the hottest gossip with the staff at the moment.” He tilted his head and tapped his foot on the ground.

Right, Rangi had been so caught up with the Fifth Nation, she’d forgotten about the other big possible disaster happening right in her home territory. Had her mother caught wind of the gossip? She wasn’t much for that, but neither was Yun. At least, she’d never see him chit chatting with the staff casually enough to gossip.

Rangi could feel sweat threatening to drip from her clenched fists as she saw his foot was still tapping the ground. Did he “hear” through his earthbending? Vocal vibrations? Was that possible? Or maybe he earthbent secret tunnels around the estate so he could spy on conversations? Did he hear Rangi’s plea to Kyoshi the other day?

Rangi’s jaw clenched, but kept silent.

“I, like most people, possibly including you, think that Kyoshi was singing about you, Rangi.”

Rangi gulped. “Where are you going with this?”

Yun stopped circling right in front of Rangi. He clapped his hands together. “It means you have a chance!” Then he clapped both of Rangi’s shoulders on each side with both his hands. “This is something to celebrate!”

Rangi eyed him warily. He was giving her that same fake smile he’d give to diplomats. His grip on her shoulders tensed just slightly. 

“Nothing’s set in stone unless one of us confesses and the other accepts.” Rangi wasn’t going to count her pig chickens before they hatched, even if she was confident about the song herself.

Yun rolled his eyes, “You are such a downer!”

Rangi gave him an even stare. “Please tell me this isn’t why you’ve been insistent on Kyoshi coming with us.”

Yun’s playful mask slowly melted into an emotionless one that mirrored Rangi’s. He released her shoulders. “No. I found out after I asked.”

So that was just his usual power move, not one in retaliation. It comforted Rangi, but only slightly. She was used to these kinds of things, these little micro transgressions from him. The way he’d bring up fire lilies in her presence, knowing full well that she knew what that interaction would mean; especially since she was pretty sure he attempted to orchestrate her walking in on that little incident.

But he’d gone too far this time in her eyes, for all she knew, he chose not to see reason to spite her because of the poem. She was fine with whatever mud he wanted to sling at her, she was no innocent party herself. She had done the same to him on occasion. But if Kyoshi got hit in the crossfire, well….

“Fine, perhaps you’re right,” Rangi whispered, finally giving him the answer he wanted to hear. “So are you going to keep her here? What do I need to say to make that happen?” 

“Does that mean you’re going to beg me too?” 

So he did hear. “Yes. If that's what it takes.”

Yun’s eyes widened then softened. “That’s…surprising. And not something I want to hear, Rangi.” He looked away, almost sorrowfully. “I’ll save you the humiliation, it won’t work. I really do need Kyoshi there. You’re not the only one who draws from her strength.”

Rangi looked away from him. She hated that there were times that she saw the worst in Yun. Thought she figured him out so well. But she understood where he was coming from. There was no malice, just stupidity. The same stupidity she was constantly at the mercy of herself.

Rangi sighed. Damn him…..

“Which is why, as your Avatar, I command you to put Kyoshi’s safety above my own!” Yun declared, with a wink. 

He clapped Rangi on one shoulder one more time and gave it a squeeze. This time she didn’t feel an underlying threat, but she still didn’t feel any actual encouragement from him either. Perhaps, it was the comradery of them just wanting to keep the girl they liked safe. 

Rangi just nodded at him. Still unsure if he was throwing her a bone for once, or if he did this out of Kyoshi’s benefit alone. Regardless, she was grateful.

_______

Rangi paced around the tent. Her sleeping quarters were arranged for their night on the iceberg.

Damn it! She bellowed in her head. She couldn’t scream aloud, even if she wanted to, so she focused her energy inward. 

Damn Tagaka! Damn Yun! Damn-! She thought of her mother, her stern face filled with hurt eyes. She thought of her face, but couldn’t bring herself to curse her name in her mind. No matter how much her reputation had harmed them both and caused them strife. Damn this whole day!

Rangi chose to just cycle through her other two offenders and the events of the day.

Damn Yun for taking Kyoshi with them. Damn Yun for setting up sleeping arrangements so that she and Kyoshi would share a tent, alone! Damn Yun for making it so there was only one bed!

If she was any more of a fool, she’d think he was throwing her a bone. But she knew him better than that, he was trying to torture her. As if this whole excursion wasn’t tortuous enough itself!

Then there was that damn Tagaka! Damn her for being a daofei! For all the crimes she has committed, same crimes that she may get away with, all because of that damn treaty! Damn her for scaring Kyoshi. Damn her for airing her mother’s dirty laundry, and doing it right in front of Kyoshi! Damn her for causing her mother and her pain, one they thought they finally escaped by leaving the Fire Nation!

Rangi stopped pacing and crouched down, putting her head in her hands and folding in on herself. 

What did Kyoshi think of her now? Of her mother? Did she also see her as a killer? An assassin? Would she hate her or Rangi? 

She was already nervous about being in the tent with Kyoshi when she first heard about it! But having her mother’s dirty laundry aired out like that? Now Rangi had more than one thing to worry about.

Rangi got up, and began pacing again. Trying to figure out the best solution, and coming up with no answers.

It wasn’t until she exhausted every possible avenue, she stopped dead in her tracks and realized she had a third thing to worry about. Kyoshi still wasn’t back yet. 

Dread built up in her. Like an idiot, she left Kyoshi’s side after the incident with Tagaka. But she assumed Kyoshi had gone to confront, or comfort, Master Kelsang. Surely she was still with him…... right? 

She swore to herself. Her one job, and she failed to do it. For all the grief she gave Yun, he deserved to give it back to her a thousand fold!

Rangi ran to the side of the room where her armor lay, ready to put it on, when she heard rustling outside. She generated a small flame in her hand and went to investigate.

When she opened the flap of the tent, she looked down to see Kyoshi, laying in the snow. Kyoshi looked up at her, relief dancing across her face as she gazed at Rangi. Then she saw a bottle that was clasped in Kyoshi’s hand. 

Rangi sniffed the air, smelling the familiar sting of alcohol. “Kyoshi, have you been drinking?”

“Yes?” Kyoshi didn’t sound sure of the statement. But she didn’t show signs of drunkenness. It was a stupid thing to lie about, but Rangi would let it slide.

Rangi sighed inwardly. Happy the girl was still in one piece despite Rangi’s own fault in the matter. And was especially happy that Kyoshi wasn’t sloshed either. She didn’t need another problem on her hands for the night.

Rangi quickly grabbed Kyoshi by the arms, and with some difficulty, dragged the larger girl into their tent. I need to do more pushups. Rangi thought. If she could barely drag the other girl, there was no way she’d be able to lift her. Rangi shook her head at the thought, her brain conjuring up only explicit scenarios that would require such a thing.

Stupid brain, I need less problems on my plate not more!

She helped Kyoshi up, and began taking off her armor, still trying not to let her mind wander to places it shouldn’t. “You can't sleep in that get up. Especially not the armor.”

“Shouldn't you be sleeping with Yun?” Kyoshi asked.

Rangi snapped her head up to look at Kyoshi, completely appalled by her insinuation. Is she stupid?! Does she really think that Yun and I are a thing?! W-what about the fire lilies, did she do that thinking that Yun and I were together? 

Or was this a conclusion she came to after the fire lilies moment? Is that why Kyoshi and Yun didn’t get together, even in secret? A misunderstanding on Kyoshi’s part? Rangi didn’t know if she should feel sickened, relieved, or horrified. So she was all three, at once.

“You know what I mean,” Kyoshi said, a little embarrassed.

Oh, she meant as a bodyguard. Right, of course she did. 

Rangi felt herself instantly cool down from the mini panic attack. “The Avatar and Master Jianzhu are reviewing strategy. Master Amak only ever sleeps in ten-minute intervals throughout the day, so he and the most experienced guardsmen will keep watch. The order is that everyone else should be well-rested for tomorrow.”

After Kyoshi was sufficiently stripped down, and ready for bed, the two settled into the furs. They both laid as far apart as they could.

Rangi didn’t face Kyoshi, she was trying to fall asleep. Not like she could, her crush of two years just an arm's length from her. She could feel every slight movement coming from Kyoshi’s side. Was she a restless sleeper? What if she moved and got too close to Rangi while she slept? What if Rangi moved in the night and did something?

Her heart pounded and ached at the same time, it was torture. She’d curse Yun again, but her mind was only filled with Kyoshi’s presence next to her. There was no room in her mind for anyone else.

She heard Kyoshi sigh. Apparently she also hadn’t fallen asleep. 

Rangi’s mind whirled, strengthened by the proximity of Kyoshi. By the setting they were in. The lack of armor and multiple layers of clothing. She had a thousand questions for the girl, no, more than a thousand. So many they could be up all night and still not get through them all. 

 She tried to ignore them but it was too much. One slipped out of her lips before she could catch it.

“Why didn't you listen?” Rangi whispered, barely audible, her throat felt sore. Why did you choose Yun over me? Was the real question behind those words. The question burned her since she begged Kyoshi in the garden.

“What?” she heard Kyoshi ask, and then shuffling noises. The sound of Kyoshi getting closer. 

Rangi’s heart started to race again. She somehow found the strength to ask the question again, just a bit louder. “Why didn't you listen to me?” 

More shuffling, Kyoshi getting farther away now. Terror thrummed in Rangi as she waited for Kyoshi’s answer. 

“I don't know what you mean,” she heard Kyoshi say simply.

A cord in Rangi broke, and she snatched her pillow and turned over, slamming the item onto Kyoshi’s face with a soft plop.

Damn her! Damn Kyoshi! Damn her for her neutral jing! Or was it avoidance this time? Negative jing? Regardless, damn her! 

She was undoing Rangi thread by thread, while she just laid there and pretended nothing wrong was happening.

Rangi cursed herself louder. For being unable to voice her real wants and desires. To voice what was wrong.

She removed the pillow, and almost crumbled. She was so close to Kyoshi’s face, able to count each one of the girl's precious freckles. She could feel herself melting as she looked at her beautiful girl.

Rangi raised her pillow to strike again, trying to conceal her failing willpower. “You know what I mean! Don't act like you only have rocks in that head of yours!”

Rangi watched Kyoshi’s shocked face slowly melt into a fit of giggles and laughter. The sound was music to Rangi’s ears, a harmony that came from heaven itself. The sight, Kyoshi’s freckled smile, made Rangi want to drop her pillow and kiss the girl silly.

Instead, she remembered herself, and hit Kyoshi with the pillow again instead.

“I-it's not funny!” Rangi cried, she kept hitting Kyoshi with the pillow and it only caused the girl to laugh harder. The heavenly torture assaulting Rangi at full force.

“S-stop it!” Kyoshi cried back, tears were in her eyes from laughing so hard. She made several grabs for the pillow in Rangi’s hand, missing a few times and accidentally caressing Rangi’s hand without realizing.

Rangi’s heart felt like it was going to burst. “K-Kyoshi! Stop it!” Kyoshi was getting closer with each grab, and it took all of Rangi’s willpower to try to push Kyoshi back with her free hand. If they got any closer, she didn’t know what she’d do.

Rangi gave in, and let Kyoshi take the pillow, but it was too late. Kyoshi was well within her boundary, Kyoshi just didn’t realize it yet.

Kyoshi’s eyes were still closed, her beautiful, unguarded face was still laughing without a care. It was the most breathtaking thing Rangi had ever seen.

“But you're the one who…started…it.” Kyoshi’s eyes finally opened, and her voice trailed off when she saw the situation they were in.

They were nose to nose, their breath tickling each other. Tickling Rangi’s lips, teasing her of what could be. Kyoshi’s shocked eyes staring into Rangi’s wanton ones. Kyoshi’s scent, morning dew on grass, made Rangi melt like she was the very same dew. 

“Kyoshi….” Rangi murmured, as she looked at Kyoshi and the red hue spreading across the other girl’s face, deepening the color of her freckles. Did she feel the same way?

Rangi lowered her eyes to Kyoshi’s lips. Move. She thought as gazed at Kyoshi’s lips. Damn it! Move now, Kyoshi. Move or I…. I might…….. Rangi’s grasp on everything loosened. On the pillow, on Kyoshi. On her self-control. She went to lean forward.

But, as if reading Rangi’s mind, Kyoshi suddenly flipped over. Her back facing Rangi.

“W-woops! S-sorry about that!” Kyoshi stuttered out. “Sorry for messing around, we should get to sleep. Big day tomorrow!”

Kyoshi’s voice shook, her body shook too. Was it because Rangi had made her uncomfortable? Scared? Or maybe….. Maybe it was with desire? The same Rangi felt pulsing through her. 

Rangi laid there for a good while, waiting for the atmosphere to finally fade from her body. But it never did. She felt bolstered by it in fact. She started leaning into a courage she shouldn’t have. She decided to take a plunge.

Instead of turning over and falling asleep away from Kyoshi, she instead placed and leaned her open palms and forehead onto Kyoshi’s back. “You have my pillow, stupid.” She chuckled just slightly to herself.

She felt Kyoshi fling her arm around, and heard her pillow flop to the floor on the other side of the tent. But it wasn’t the pillow Rangi had wanted. 

Damn it. She let herself settle in closer to Kyoshi, letting her body meld into Kyoshi’s back. She enjoyed the feeling of Kyoshi’s racing heart pounding against her forehead, taking in Kyoshi’s scent. She fell into a lullful sleep, and dreamt of laying in a meadow under the warm sun with Kyoshi.

____________

Rangi couldn’t breathe. The ice that encased her blocked the air from reaching her lungs. 

Tagaka had ambushed them during the treaty signing, and now Rangi, along with many others, were trapped in the iceberg. 

She generated a fire fist, and forced the ice to melt around her. She found a way into a pocket of air with the waterbender who had pulled her in. She swung at the waterbender, breaking their nose, rendering them unconscious. Possibly leaving them for dead as well.

Water from the melted ice started to form around her. She tried not to panic, but it was becoming impossible to breathe again. She tried to calm down, focusing her heat inward instead of outward. If her body was wet she wouldn’t be able to generate external fire well. Instead, she heated herself and let the heat billow out from her. Sure enough, the internal heat started to melt the ice around her faster. Even evaporating slightly so she could get a few precious breaths in.

She looked around and saw their guardsmen fighting off the other waterbenders. She tried making her way to them, hoping Kyoshi wasn’t in there, but if she was, that she could make it to her in time!

She saw a familiar red figure in the corner of her eye thinking the same thing. Her mother. They were both heating and bending their way to the guardsmen. 

They were only able to save either a third or half until it all became too much. Too much cold, too much water, not a lot of air pockets. They simply ran out of time. Rangi and Hei-Ran blasted their way out of the side of the iceberg, the rescued guardsmen falling behind them.

As they landed on an icy platform below, they saw something come down from above. It was Jianzhu with Pengpeng. “Get on!”

Rangi and Hei-Ran did as he commanded without hesitation. They jumped aboard Pengpeng, trying to superheat their limbs to evaporate the water off of them faster, so they could make it possible to bend their fire without failure.

They ascended into the air, Hei-Ran and Rangi each taking a side on Pengpeng and letting off fire blasts at any pirate they saw.

The trio flew closer to where they assumed Tagaka and Yun had gone, and what they saw caused Rangi’s heart to almost fail.

Kyoshi was the lone person fighting Tagaka. She was winning, but reinforcements were closing in on her. There was a pulse of light from an icey prison, and Yun burst forth. He started taking out the reinforcements, but Rangi knew there would be too many.

She took the risk and jumped off of Pengpeng!

“Rangi!” She heard her mother cry, but it was too late, Rangi was already barreling towards the ground.

She used blasts of fire to slow her descent in the air, and to aim for what looked like a soft bed of snow. She landed with a fwump! And as she scrambled and heated her way out, she felt the earth shake. She looked over and saw Yun in a deep stance, and the earth being pulled up from the sea bed. Taking out several ships in the process.

Rangi watched in horror as a pirate got by Yun and struck Kyoshi! 

She started sprinting over there as fast as she could, cursing the snow for slowing her down. She watched as Kyoshi tried to get back up, only to fall back down. She had no more strength. The pirate readied his ice spear above his head, ready to strike.

“Kyoshi!” Rangi screamed. 

Fear gripped Rangi tighter than it ever had before, she slammed her foot down into a deep stance, and thrusted her fist out as fast, hot, and hard as possible. A white fiery terror shot forth from it in the form of a fireball, and blasted the pirate from across the iceberg. Kyoshi was safe from him.

She watched as Jianzhu fell from the sky, to clean up the rest of the ships and how Yun ran off to join him. She watched as the last of Kyoshi’s strength left her body and sank to the floor. Rangi reached Kyoshi right before Kyoshi’s head hit the ground, and cradled the larger girl in her arms. She turned up her body heat and did what she could to warm Kyoshi up.

“Kyoshi! Kyoshi! Please, don’t go to sleep! Kyoshi!” 

Rangi gently shook Kyoshi, and watched as the blood from her face fell onto Kyoshi’s forehead and cheeks. Kyoshi looked up at her one last time with a bleary eyed smile. Then her eyes closed for sleep.

___________________

Rangi fell back on what she knew best. Pacing.

Positive jing. Always moving forward. Just. Nonstop. Pacing. 

She paced back and forth in the infirmary wing where Kyoshi was located. She did so for three days straight. The staff was going to need to replace the floorboards. There was a hole where the floorboards used to be. Rangi had paced a rut so thoroughly into the floor that she made it seem like those floorboards never existed in the first place. 

Rangi ran a hand through her hair. Paying for damages on the house was the least of her worries. She’d failed to guard the Avatar. She’d chosen Kyoshi over the Avatar. It didn’t matter if the Avatar commanded her to do so, in her heart she’d chosen what she wanted to do without anyone’s prompting. And that’s what made the looks she was given by the Masters that much harder to take. 

They knew what she did, regardless of Yun’s defense. To his credit, it was a good defense. “What was she going to do? She couldn’t follow me on those ships! It’s best that she stayed with Kyoshi!” 

A good defense didn’t mean it was the truth, she didn’t even want to follow him in the first place. 

But the hardest thing of all was in the room with Rangi at that very moment. 

Rangi looked over from her rut and saw the sleeping face of the girl she loved. Kyoshi was unconscious, and she hadn’t woken up once in three days. Rangi didn’t know what to do, she was completely….and utterly…helpless.

She began pacing again, biting her nail. Searching for solutions that wouldn’t come nor could happen, when she heard a noise. Her head snapped over to Kyoshi’s bed. Rangi jumped out of her foot deep rut and sprinted over to Kyoshi. 

Rangi hovered with baited breath.

But Kyoshi didn’t awaken, and Rangi collapsed onto the chair next to Kyoshi’s bed side. Head in hands, and began to sob. 

If Kyoshi didn’t wake up, didn’t return to her. She didn’t know what she’d do. She didn’t know how she could keep on going. 

Rangi sat there, pleading to any and every spirit that could hear her. Pleading for a miracle.

Please, just bring her back to me…..

She sat there, still as a statue. Afraid that even a single molecule of her being would ruin the prayer. Then she heard it, rustling. 

Rangi’s head shot up and saw Kyoshi’s eye’s fluttering open.

“Kyoshi!” she gasped, grabbing the water gourd from the bedside table. “You're awake! Are you feeling alright?”

Kyoshi tried to speak but coughed, and Rangi instantly put the water to Kyoshi’s lips.

“What happened? Where's Yun?” Kyoshi finally asked.

Of course she’d ask about him first. Rangi tried not to feel so deflated. Tried to reason with herself. Of course she was asking! He’s nowhere in sight. And he’s the Avatar. It’s not because she loves him more.

“He's fine,” Rangi replied in a sullen tone. “Master Jianzhu and my mother are with him. He’s plenty guarded. Yun ordered me to be here to make sure you were alright.”

He only ordered me because I begged him. It wasn’t literal begging with words and kowtowing, but with pleading eyes and an understanding gaze.

“Sorry, you should be with him instead of me,” Kyoshi whispered. 

Rangi’s eyes widened. Oh, Kyoshi was still thinking of other people first again, instead of herself. That's why. It wasn’t because she cared more about Yun…..

Rangi’s fists and jaw clenched in unison. This idiot! Why, why couldn’t she ever spare a thought for herself?! Why did she have to be so good and just? Why couldn’t she be a little bit selfish? Just….think of herself for once?!

“Yeah you better be sorry,” Rangi stood up from her chair. “Think of yourself for a change!” 

Kyoshi could only stare at her in surprise. Did she not understand the severity of the situation she was in?!

“You've been asleep for three days, Kyoshi! Three days! Do you know how worried I was?” Rangi’s chest heaved as her voice wavered. 

“I-I’m sorry!” Kyoshi strangled out, with the pure sincerity only Kyoshi knew how to exude.

“I didn’t think you were ever going to wake up!” her voice cracked, and tears were welling in her eyes as she collapsed back in her chair, the thought of Kyoshi ceasing to exist making her weak again. “How could you be so reckless?”

The possibilities and what-ifs from before came barreling down onto Rangi again. Her strength left her with each tear that escaped her. 

She felt something touch her cheek. It was Kyoshi’s hand. Kyoshi was….touching her face, wiping the tears away. Comforting her.

“Oh….” she could only gasp. Kyoshi couldn’t have known what that meant in her country. You didn’t touch the head region unless you were family or married. Not engaged, married. There were no exceptions. 

Kyoshi couldn’t have known the transgression she was doing. The violation. The dishonor. She wouldn’t have done it if she’d known. 

But she didn’t. Kyoshi didn’t know. She only, and wholly wanted to comfort Rangi in the only way she knew how. Kyoshi was good, and she was loving. And- 

Rangi was so utterly and completely undone by Kyoshi. In that moment, she realized couldn’t fight it. It was just better to surrender herself at this point. She would give herself to Kyoshi. Absolutely and completely. 

She then performed an action, one that would have her own countryman demanding her topknot for. She closed her eyes as she placed her own hand over Kyoshi’s, and held it there. Accepting the touch, and soaking in the comfort and basking in the transgression that it brought.

“Rangi, I’m sorry,” Kyoshi started. “You were right, I shouldn’t have gone. I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused.”

Rangi took in a sharp shuddering breath, and moved her head to the side so Kyoshi's hand covered her mouth. To kiss her the palm of the one she loved, and also to cover up her erratic breathing. Her throat was sore, from the crying, the yelling, the dishonor, Kyoshi’s love, everything.  “T-take responsibility, you idiot!” she sobbed.

Take responsibility for the mess you’ve made me.

That’s all she wanted. Kyoshi could do whatever else her heart desired. As long as she accepted Rangi’s mess, Rangi would be happy.

“A-alright…. I’ll do whatever you ask of me, without question!” Kyoshi announced, a serious look in her eye. That was so Kyoshi, always taking her own word seriously.

Rangi took another sharp breath and looked at Kyoshi. “You promise?” she pleaded, half-heartedly. Kyoshi didn’t owe her anything, and she didn’t want to demand anything from Kyoshi. She just wanted to be beside her, for as long as she was allowed.

“Promise,” Kyoshi said. Then she smiled at her, a smile that was too good for Rangi. A smile that Rangi didn’t get to enjoy for long, because Kyoshi’s body waved and then fell back asleep onto her pillow as Rangi called her name.

_________________________

A/N: Spiral Rangi! Spiral! \u0u/ *elmo fire meme* uwu

Also, ummmm Interlude 4 might be like…….not JUST interlude 4 cause it’s getting longer by the second……  (ﾉ≧ڡ≦) Whoops~! Salty doesn’t plan things well sometimes~! (I wasn’t going adapt a lot of the 3 chapters, just the highlights…….but…..I felt like I probably should….and then now I’m 20 some pages deep again u_u Plus, some of y’all asked more spice and….I will try TT0TT But I don’t wanna change this from M to E, but horny Rangi incoming maybe jklsdajfa TT0TT)

I’ve also been distracted with editing Rangshi stuff on my main blog, as well as reading things (dunno how many Wednesday fans are here, or if they read my Hyde in the Shadows fanfic, but we got a new novel and now it feels like my attention is being fractured~! *sobs* Fighting off my Wenclair feels so I can focus on my Rangshi feels is like really hard right now TT0TT), and other life stuff happening…. So ummmm not a lot of writing was done the past two weeks, sorry. u_u Luckily, I still have one more chapter buffer to go! :D *sobs* 

[somethingwritey]

How is the Rangshi long fic coming? Id love an update on ittttt!

Hello! I'm so glad you're still thinking about my Rangshi fic! It's currently around 20k at the moment—definitely getting a bit carried away!

Because you asked, here's another little out-of-context snippet ;)

-----

“Do you think the spirits would mind if I assassinated a world leader?”

Jinpa jerked his head up at the question, risking a glance behind him at her. Kyoshi knew she must be a sight to behold, laying out across the wide saddle and staring up at the darkening clouds. In her hands, she opened and closed a fan in time to her pounding pulse.

“I don’t think that’s listed as an Avatar duty,” Jinpa stammered, thoroughly taken aback by her proposal.

“Bummer.”

Jinpa was quiet for a few moments, no doubt trying to edge around the subject towards her reasoning. “I take it that meeting with the Fire Lord went… poorly?”

Kyoshi propped herself up on her elbows to stare him in the face. She hoped he could read how absolutely stupid that question had been. She’d emerged from the Fire Lord’s palace by stomping, causing tiny earthquakes as she marched over to the stables. That should’ve been indication enough.

“He’s out of control.” Kyoshi shivered—Rangi’s absence making itself very apparent just then; she could always be counted on for a little extra warmth while traveling.

Kyoshi went back to staring at the sky.

Zoryu’s words about the Firebender still echoed in her ears, doing more to chill her than the night air ever could. She wished she could put more distance between Rangi and the Fire Lord, despite being hidden away in Yokoya.

For a terrifying moment, she wondered if Zoryu somehow knew. If he could see the girl in her cotton shift, laid out on the infirmary bed with her hands knotted in the sheets. If he had discovered a way to look at the bruises on her face and the way her breath still rattled slightly whenever she breathed. Maybe this whole meeting had been a distraction, a diversion to take Kyoshi away from the infirmary and Rangi. Maybe, it was too late.

“Jinpa!” Kyoshi felt her heart pounding in her ears. “Fly faster!”

She worked herself up as they flew, imagining horrific scenes of injury and destruction—rivaling the iceberg or North Chung-Ling - only this time, it would absolutely be her fault. If anything happened to Rangi, the Flying Opera Company, even Hei-Ran and Atuat, she would be to blame.

Kyoshi gripped the edge of the saddle, her knuckles turning white from the effort. She watched the ground grow closer and closer as Yingyong spiralled into a descent. Her chest tightened with every drop in altitude, and once, she almost slipped over the edge and plummeted the last several feet to the ground.

“Quiet evening.” Jinpa seemed on the whole unaware of her own personal panic. He landed Yingyong with ease and dismounted, walking around the side of the bison to assist Kyoshi like he always did.

She didn’t wait for the monk to make it over to her. She tumbled from the saddle, falling hard onto the ground and scrambling back up to her feet.

“Kyoshi!” he yelled after her in disbelief.

She didn’t turn around, stumbling towards the infirmary to what she knew would be waiting for her. Blindly, she pushed open the door and tripped over the doorway, panting and gasping for air, to find -

No evidence of violence. No ransom note or bodies or trails of blood. Just Hei-Ran and Atuat sitting in a few chairs with bowls of noodles, with the rest of the Flying Opera Company still bedridden, but looking more vibrant than before. Even Rangi looked, on the whole, unchanged, propped up in bed. Someone had even taken the time to put her hair back up in its usual topknot.

“Well,” Hei-Ran said dryly, taking in Kyoshi’s haggard appearance. “Are you being pursued by wolfbats? Lion vultures? Spider snakes, perhaps?”

Kyoshi’s face flushed red, and she tried hard to catch her breath - smoothing down her skirts to remove the ruffles.

“Did the monk get eaten?” Atuat asked calmly, taking another bite of her noodles. Clearly, the two women were enjoying the joke at Kyoshi’s expense.

Rangi covered her mouth, looking as though she was trying to keep a straight face for Kyoshi’s sake and failing at it. Kyoshi glared at her.

“Not you, too.”

A little snort escaped Rangi’s fingers, and her eyes went wide.

“Some bison ride you must’ve had,” Kirmia ventured, surveying Kyoshi’s windswept state. “What did happen to that Airbender of yours?”

Kyoshi gestured out the door. “Probably unsaddling Yingyong,” she told them all, still somewhat out of breath. “I, uh, just needed to check something.”

“The Fire Lord put you on edge?” Hei-Ran put down her bowl of noodles, staring hard at Kyoshi.

She forced herself to look back calmly. The last thing she wanted was to let everyone know that she’d gotten worked up over some unfulfilled threats. And now that she was here, even Kyoshi could tell how stupid she’d been. The infirmary was the safest place for Rangi right now, surrounded as she was by Hei-Ran and Atuat and unable to make any wrong move the Fire Lord could use to justify an attack.

Kyoshi forced a smile, relaxing her shoulders the best she could. “Nothing of the sort.” She tucked her fans back into her belt. “The meeting was simply to confirm what he already knew. Pretty big waste of time, actually.”

Hei-Ran was still studying her skeptically, probably trying to pinpoint the reason for Kyoshi’s sudden change in demeanor. Kyoshi dared to look over at Rangi again.

Her expression mirrored her mother’s, lips slightly pursed and head tilted to the side. If Kyoshi didn’t want Hei-Ran to discover the true nature of her meeting with Zoryu, she definitely didn’t want Rangi figuring it out.

Rangi’s station meant everything to her, and she took her job very seriously. If she knew that her own Fire Lord was pondering possible ways to strip the girl of her life - or worse, her honor - she would lose it.

Kyoshi had already seen how Fire Nation citizens treated their disgraced ranking officials. Hei-Ran had been pitied, patronized, pet like an animal. If anyone were to take that tone with Rangi, well, Kyoshi couldn’t promise that she would be able to keep her Avatar State in check.

“Care for some noodles?” Atuat gestured to her own bowl, holding it up for Kyoshi to see.

There was no way Kyoshi could turn down food. She hadn’t eaten since… well, Kyoshi couldn’t quite remember the last time she’d eaten, and she could feel Rangi staring daggers at her.

“Yeah,” she smiled at Atuat. “Noodles would be great.”

////

It was three days before Rangi was able to stand.

Atuat worked on her the best she could, trying to heal the internal damage caused by Yun. She told Kyoshi that bits of his earth dagger had broken off inside her wound, causing irritation and leaving a large possibility for infection. It didn’t help that Rangi was a terrible patient.

“I can get up,” she kept insisting. “I’m fine!”

When Atuat finally let her try, Rangi leapt at the opportunity, getting to her feet much too quickly and nearly doubling over from lingering stiffness and pain.

“Careful!” Kyoshi cried, hovering nearby. The outburst earned her stares from both Rangi and Atuat.

When Rangi straightened up again—slower this time—Kyoshi could see the imprint of the bandages under her shift - wrapped generously around her torso like battle armor.

“Are you sure she should be doing this?” Kyoshi asked Atuat, probably only fueling Rangi’s determination. “She’s still got bandages on! What if she starts bleeding again? We can try again tomorrow! Or next week!”

“Kyoshi, what’s your problem?” Rangi narrowed her eyes.

She was being far too overprotective, Kyoshi knew. She should back off. Let Rangi manage her own recovery. But even though it was inviting Rangi’s wrath, Kyoshi didn’t want her Firebender’s stubbornness to impede her healing process.

Rangi needed to take it slow. Make sure she didn’t make things worse with her rush to get better. As much as Kyoshi wanted to see her girl back on her feet, she knew it wouldn’t benefit either of them if it happened too quickly.

That’s what Kyoshi told herself as she watched Atuat support Rangi and instruct her to gently raise and lower her arms - stretching out her muscles. Kyoshi just didn’t want Rangi to overextend herself. To tear open her wound. To hurry an infection along. Her concern was born from love and care, not selfishness.

Or cowardice.

As if to poke holes in her reasoning, Hei-Ran entered the tent, arms crossed. “Jinpa told me your meeting with the Fire Lord ended… abruptly.” She glanced over at Atuat and Rangi for the briefest of moments. “Rangi, straighten your shoulders. Injuries don’t excuse bad posture.”

Rangi huffed, but obediently did as she was told. She respected her mother’s authority, whether she liked it or not.

Kyoshi picked her next words carefully. Lying to Hei-Ran was never a good idea, but neither was letting on just how badly the meeting had actually gone. “I think… the messages of both parties had ample time for sinking in.”

The words could’ve come straight from Yun’s mouth—vague with just the right amount of high-brow language. Maybe she wasn’t a hopeless cause after all.

Hei-Ran seemed surprised by the response as well. “I see. And what message did the Fire Lord impart on you?”

Shit.

Kyoshi tried to think on her feet. “Politics,” she said at last. “The importance of… political relations.”

“Sounds like the stuff Jianzhu used to preach,” Rangi offered, crinkling up her nose at the mention of the departed sage.

Hei-Ran sniffed dismissively at the mention of the man who’d nearly poisoned her to death. Kyoshi wondered inwardly if the woman ever mourned Jianzhu, despite everything. He had once been her close companion, after all.

Every one of Hei-Ran’s old friends were gone, she suddenly realized - swallowing hard. Kuruk. Kelsang. Jianzhu. The once-inseparable gang hadn’t stayed that way for very long. Hei-Ran was the sole survivor.

Killed after hunting dark spirits.

Murdered by Jianzhu.

Murdered by Yun. And me.

What terrible fates had been waiting for the previous Avatar team, often at the hands of each other. Was that what waited for her? For Rangi? For Wong and Kirimia? Was every Avatar doomed to bring failure and annihilation to the people who loved them most?

“Atuat,” she said sharply, turning to look at Rangi who’d made good progress accompanied by the Waterbender. “That’s enough for today.”

“Yes, Avatar.”

As Atuat moved to help Rangi back to bed, Rangi protested - an angry haze settling over her face as she watched Kyoshi move towards the door.

“What?” Rangi twisted in Atuat’s grip, trying to break free, to run after her. “Who let her call the shots around here? Kyoshi, don’t you dare walk away from me! I’m not through talking about this!”

Kyoshi didn’t turn around. She couldn’t.

“Fine! Go clear your head! See if I care!”

And then Kyoshi made it out of earshot.

She would delay Rangi’s recovery as long as she possibly could, drag it out until the spirits themselves were begging the Firebender to get back on her feet. Because at least here in the infirmary, tucked away in Yokoya, she had people to keep her safe. She couldn’t get herself thrown into another life-threatening situation while she was still recuperating from the last one.

Kyoshi wouldn’t be the reason for Rangi’s obliteration.

And neither would Zoryu.

---

more coming soon! my commissions are open (and so is my ask box!)

[madam-melon-meow]

Bisexual Kyoshi is something that can be so personal, actually

Panel edit by @flagellasturbation

[image I.D. : An edit of a comic panel of avatar Kyoshi. On the left in the image is a close-up of Kyoshi from the torso up, contained within an upside-down trapezoid shape. She wears her full battle uniform of olive and emerald robes, dark gloves and bracers, and a golden headpiece in a fan-like shape. Her eyes are the same emerald shade as her robes, she has black hair billowing to the left edge of the image, and her black eyebrows have been dramatically lengthened by black face paint. Her face and neck are artificially whitened with chalky makeup, she has black winged eyeliner, red eyeshadow that sweeps upwards to her temples and down the sides of her nose, and red lipstick outlined in black. This is the classic Kyoshi makeup. Her arms are crossed, the left arm behind her head pointing a golden fan away from the viewer, the right arm extended in front of her face, another golden fan pointed towards the viewer. She appears to be looking upwards and towards the right of the image. Above Kyoshi’s eye level and in the top right of the image is a comic text box. It reads in all caps: “even avatar Kyoshi- who by all accounts loved men and women- was unable to effect any kind of real progress.” The background art and color has been replaced with the Bisexual Flag, a thick horizontal line of pink on top, stopping at Kyoshi’s cheek level, then a thinner line of purple ending at her shoulders, and a thick line of blue that extends to the bottom of the image. End I.D.]

(If someone does not find my image I.D. sufficient, please let me know. This is my first time trying to make such a thing, as i am a lurker, not a poster)

Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee, page 99 (text copy / pasted from the b&n ebook version)

““Are those . . . fire lilies?” he said, a wide, knowing grin spreading across his face.

Kyoshi flushed beet red. “Stop it,” she said.

“That’s right,” Yun said. “The Ember Island tourism minister brought a bunch when he visited two weeks ago. I can’t believe you simply shred the flowers once they dry out. I guess nothing goes to waste in this house.”

“Knock it off,” Kyoshi snapped. But it was too hard keeping the corners of her lips from curling upward.

“Knock what off?” he said, enjoying her reaction. “I’m just commenting on a fragrance I’ve come to particularly enjoy.”

It was an inside reference that only the two of them shared. Rangi didn’t know. She hadn’t been there in the gifting room eight months ago while Kyoshi arranged a vast quantity of fire lilies sent by an admiral in the Fire Navy, one of Hei-Ran’s friends.

Yun had spent the afternoon watching Kyoshi work. Against every scrap of her better judgment, she’d allowed him to lie down on the floor and rest his head in her lap while she plucked deformed leaves and trimmed stems to the right length. Had anyone caught the two of them like that, there would have been a scandal that not even the Avatar could have recovered from.

That day, entranced by Yun’s upside-down features dappled with the flower petals she’d teasingly sprinkled over his face, she’d almost leaned down and kissed him. And he knew it. Because he’d almost reached up and kissed her.

They never spoke of it afterward, the shared impulse that had nearly crashed both of their carriages. It was too . . . well, they each had their duties was a good way to put it. That moment did not fit anywhere among their responsibilities.

But since then, whenever the two of them were in the presence of fire lilies, Yun’s eyes would dart toward the flowers repeatedly until he was sure Kyoshi noticed. She would try unsuccessfully to keep a straight face, the heat coloring her neck, and he’d sigh as if to mourn what could have been.

Today was no different. With a wistful blush on his own cheeks, Yun stared her down until her defenses broke and she let out a giggle through her nose.

“There’s that beautiful smile,” he said. He pressed his heels into the floor, sliding up against the wall, and straightened his rumpled shirt. “Kyoshi, trust me when I say this: If it turns out not to be me, I’ll be glad it’s you.”

~~~~~~~~~

Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee, page 210 (text copy / pasted from the b&n ebook version)

“You think you don’t deserve peace and happiness and good things, but you do!” Rangi yelled. “You, Kyoshi! Not the Avatar, but you!”

She closed the distance and wrapped her arms around Kyoshi’s waist. The embrace was a clever way to hide her face.

“Do you have any idea how painful it’s been for me to follow you on this journey where you’re so determined to punish yourself?” she said. “Watching you treat yourself like an empty vessel for revenge, when I’ve known you since you were a servant girl who couldn’t bend a pebble? The Avatar can be reborn. But you can’t, Kyoshi. I don’t want to give you up to the next generation. I couldn’t bear to lose you.”

Kyoshi realized she’d had it all wrong. Rangi was a true believer. But her greatest faith had been for her friends, not her assignment. She pulled Rangi in closer. She thought she heard a slight, contented sigh come from the other girl.

“I wish I could give you your due,” Rangi muttered after some time had passed. “The wisest teachers. Armies to defend you. A palace to live in.”

Kyoshi raised an eyebrow. “The Avatar gets a palace?”

“No, but you deserve one.”

“I don’t need it,” Kyoshi said. She smiled into Rangi’s hair, the soft strands caressing her lips. “And I don’t need an army. I have you.”

Psh,” Rangi scoffed. “A lot of good I’ve been so far. If I were better at my job you would never feel scared. Only loved. Adored by all.”

Kyoshi gently nudged Rangi’s chin upward. She could no more prevent herself from doing this than she could keep from breathing, living, fearing.

“I do feel loved,” she declared.

Rangi’s beautiful face shone in reflection. Kyoshi leaned in and kissed her.

A warm glow mapped Kyoshi’s veins. Eternity distilled in a single brush of skin. She thought she would never be more alive than now.

And then—

The shock of hands pushing her away. Kyoshi snapped out of her trance, aghast.

Rangi had flinched at the contact. Repelled her. Viscerally, reflexively.

Oh no. Oh no.

This couldn’t—not after everything they’d been through—this couldn’t be how it—

Kyoshi shut her eyes until they hurt. She wanted to shrink until she vanished within the cracks of the earth. She wanted to become dust and blow away in the wind.

But the sound of laughter pulled her back. Rangi was coughing, drowning herself with her own tears and mirth. She caught her breath and retook Kyoshi by the hips, turning to the side, offering up the smooth, unblemished skin of her throat.

“That side of my face is busted up, stupid,” she whispered in the darkness. “Kiss me where I’m not hurt.”

~~~~~

I include both these quotes because i've seen a few posts about the “gigantic lesbian” avatar, and although i am glad my sapphic sisters feel connected to Kyoshi (as well they should!), that doesn't mean i wish to simply be quiet on the matter of her textual bisexuality. I understand that not everyone has read her novels, nor has everyone read legend of Korra comics, but Kyoshi is *textually* bisexual.

Kyoshi had a loving romantic relationship with her firebending friend Rangi, but this does not erase her feelings for her earthbending friend Yun, even if neither of them were able to properly express it due to their respective “status”. (For context if you haven’t read, the masters believed that Yun was the avatar, and though he was bodyguarded by Rangi, and though Kyoshi was his servent, the three of them were simiar ages and thus close friends until the discovery of Kyoshi’s true ability destroyed their former lives). Hell, Kyoshi and Rangi do not become intimate until after fleeing their former lives. Who is to say what would have happened, had Yun not been captured by father glowworm ?

I know that there is a chance you will scoff at this, will write this off as comphet, accuse me of disproportionately weighting an almost-kiss with a true relationship, but these above quotes (as well as the comic panel from “the legend of korra: turf wars- part 1”) serve as proof that Kyoshi, “by all accounts loved men and women” (see panel directly below)

[image I.D. : the same comic panel as the edit above, this one without the bisexual flag edited in. Directly behind Kyoshi, within the upside-down trapezoid shape, is an olive to lime gradient, darker around her head and lighter near the bottom. Around and to the right in the image, outside of the trapezoid, is an aerial shot of buildings within an Earth Kingdom city, and what appears to be the lines of troops on the ground far below. the text box in the image is the same, but I have underlined the word “men” in blue, the word “and” in purple, and the word “women” in pink, to reflect the bisexual flag. End I.D.]

I am making such a big deal over this because Kyoshi is a massive figure, her long shadow cast over Aang’s life alongside Roku’s, and even before her novels came out there were often jokes about her “bloodthirsty” nature. I implore you to read the novels and see why Kyoshi believed in deadly justice at times, but also so you can see what a dynamic, loving, and beautiful character she is.

Some members of fandom have taken a “step on me” attitude towards Kyoshi, who has, even if the 7 feet tall thing is more fanon than canon, been explicitly described as “exceptionally tall”, and “towering” over others. This “strong woman who will break me and I thank them” attitude is one that butch &/or physically imposing sapphics, as well as trans women with similar statures to Kyoshi have expressed discomfort when applied to themselves and characters like them. I would love for more people to acknowledge her flaws and multi-faceted nature, that she is more than a “warrior goddess”, just as Aang is more than a living relic. Flattening her out to the easily-fetishable parts erases the depth of her character and the complexity of circumstances that led to the instances of deadly force.

There are very few bisexual characters in media, especially women, and especially in children’s media. Bisexual women have often been caricatured as loose, promiscuous, good for a threesome and not much else. (This is mot to say that i think any lesser of my fellow bisexuals who are proudly promiscious, nor can an actual live bisexual person be considered a stereotype for living their life, but media’s portayal of us as obsessed with desire is incredibly harmful). Knowing that a strong, beautiful, and important character in the avatar universe is a bisexual woman is amazing, even more so to have her first lady-love described in the novels with such care. F. C. Yee, the author of these novels, has my eternal gratitude. I sincerely hope that the new generation of fans, whether they are drawn to the cartoon or even the hypothetical live action show, will pick up these novels and discover the kind of bisexual character that I wish existed in my early days as a reader, and if a small fraction of them resonate with Kyoshi’s reciprocal on Yun and love for Rangi, then the world becomes a little bit brighter for it.

I mentioned her importance for the simple reason that Kyoshi IS important with the text of ATLA. As one of the avatars, she is one of the most historically important figures in that universe, one of the few avatars that Aang knows by name, and one of the only avatars to speak through his body. The fact that she has two whole novels to herself testifies to that effect, making her bisexual representation all the more important than a simple background character might be. 

If or when the ATLA live action tv show occurs, we can expect some mention of Kyoshi. After all, there is a whole episode dedicated to exploring one of her missions, and the way that the descendants of her enemy have recolored history. It is my sincere desire that enough discussion is made about her canon bisexuality , that fandom trumphets it from the roof with as much force as crackshipping zukka, that when she does make it to the screen, there is some subtle nod in her bisexuality’s direction, even if it is something as meta as casting a bisexual actress for her. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

edit by @flagellasturbation​

[image I.D. : An edit of a comic panel of avatar Kyoshi. This is like the first image, Kyoshi and the text box of the comic panel untouched, the background color and art replaced with the bisexual flag. However, this version has the words “by all accounts” blown up large and placed diagonally in the image, directly under Kyoshi’s face and stretching from one side of the image to the other. The bottom third of the image is similarly obscured, the words  “men” , “and” , “women” blown up large enough to fill the panel and cover most of Kyoshi’s torso, as well as the purple and blue areas of the background flag. End I.D.]

[blue-rose-89]

Avatar: The Rise of Kyoshi spoilers (chapter 9-11)

This is where I feel like this is the end of Act 1. Kyoshi’s identity is officially revealed but does she embrace her destiny or does she reject it in favour for a self-serving goal?

The Story so far......

Chapter 9

Things are different for Kyoshi at the estate. She is now being treated as a noble instead of a servant. She is eventually summoned by Hei-Ran to do a little test. A Firebending test.

The Fire Nation test their children for fire bending at infancy so that parents can prevent accidental fires in their homes. The test involves breathing on cotton soaked oil that’s flammable when lit. If the child breathes sparks onto the cloth then they are a Firebender. Kyoshi fails the test and Jianzhu, who’s been observing from afar, goes to his room and throws a Earthbending fuelled fit.

Kyoshi sees Yun again and Yun apologizes for Rangi’s outburst From her perspective Rangi feels like everything she’s been told and trained to do in protecting the Avatar was all for nothing. He assures Kyoshi that she’ll come around.

Yun doesn’t mind if Kyoshi is the Avatar but he admits that he is more worried about what would happen to him and Jianzhu if he’s proven to be the wrong person. He believes what he and Jianzhu do is good but if he’s not the Avatar then it means that everything he and Jianzhu have worked for, from diplomacy to creating alliances, would be null and void. The sages would also take Yun away from him. Avatar or not, Yun does care about the world’s affairs.

Yun and Kyoshi have a romantic moment and they almost kiss. After that Yun announces that the reason he showed up was to tell her that he and her are going on field trip with Jianzhu.

Chapter 10

The chapter in which Kyoshi has a really bad day.

Kyoshi, Yun Jianzhu, and Pengpeng (being borrowed) go to the mountains to figure out once and for all who’s the Avatar. Yun guesses that Jianzhu wants to induce the Avatar State with one of them only for Jianzhu to scoff at the idea. because he knows from personal experience how powerful the Avatar State can be for an Avatar unlocking it for the first time.

Jianzhu helped Kuruk trigger the Avatar State on an isolated island with just the two of them and it ended with the island gone. Jianzhu lived to the tale.

To help with the test, Kyoshi and Yun  are brought to meet a spirit named Father Glowworm. Jianzhu asks Gloworm to do a ‘taste-test’ to identify the Avatar since he would know with all the past-lives that the Avatar has (both candidates are drugged to keep them from moving). When Glowworm tests Kyoshi first, Yun (training with shady Amak, helped him recover from the drug quicker) to tries to protect her but he ends up too late to stop it. Kyoshi is confirmed to be the Avatar. Jianzhu saves Kyoshi but leaves Yun behind for Glowworm to take as a consolation prize for not getting to eat the Avatar. Yun is dead and Jianzhu is sorry/not sorry about it. Kyoshi on the other hand is so angry that she unlocks her Firebending with a roar.

Jianzhu easily restrains Kyoshi (the methods he uses are eerily similar to the Dai Li) when she tries to kill him and he reveals his true intentions to her. Now that he has the real Avatar in custody he can use his world-wide connections to keep tabs on her so that she doesn’t end up being used by those who want to abuse her power. Yes, Jianzhu does not see the hypocrisy in what he’s saying.

Kelsang shows up and it leads to this chilling exchange between him and Jianzhu.

Jianzhu: “I thought I locked my study”

Kelsang: “You did.” (pg 139)

Kelsang quickly learns what Jianzhu has done and he reaches his breaking point with him. When he tires to take Kyoshi away, Jianzhu fights back and kills Kelsang in front of Kyoshi. It’s implied that he felt genuine sadness for what he did but it’s too little too late. RIP Kelsang.

The chapter ends with Kyoshi entering the Avatar State.

Chapter 11

Kyoshi wakes up to see the area decimated from the Avatar State. When she hears Jianzhu from underneath the rubble (making this the second time he survives the Avatar State’s collateral damage), she flees with Pengpeng.

It’s heavily implied at the beginning of the chapter that Kyoshi triggered the Avatar State when she was seven from fighting off a fever.

We get a memory of young Kyoshi and Kelsang flying kites together.

Kyoshi makes it back to estate and grabs the only two things from her past, a notebook and a trunk. Rangi is there to learn what happened from Kyoshi.

Why did she take the trunk from her room you ask? It’s because it contains her iconic outfit and steel fans. She puts on the clothes on heads back to the stable only to see Rangi, who gets over the the initial shock, helps her out and the two of them flee with Pengpeng together. You’re a good friend Rangi.

End of Act 1

[swiftsaltsweet]

Two Knives Chapter 3: Kyoshi- A Breaking Point and a Confession

Characters: Rangi and Kyoshi (RoK characters tbh)

Pairing: Rangshi

Summary:

Things have been stressful for Kyoshi. First, she sang a poem and now the whole kitchen staff thinks it’s about Rangi, and is sure that there will be gossip. Then, Yun asks her to join him for the Fifth Nation treaty signing. Now Rangi’s acting strange. It’s becoming a bit much for Kyoshi’s small corner of the world.

(Canon Divergent AU- Kelsang wasn’t the one who heard the poem?….aka What if it took longer for them to realize Kyoshi was the Avatar?)

Other Sites: AO3 

A/N: Kyoshi, sweetie, De Nile is a river….that exists……on a map. Maybe not the ATLA map, but you’re manifesting it, let's just say that. :’D

TW: More slight (internalized?) homophobia. Can I call it that? Or is it just general denial? It feels more like typical “my friend can’t like me because…..I’m me! General denial” that can also happen with straight couples…. but tw all the same just in case. 

____

Things had basically returned to normal since the iceberg. 

The staff had welcomed everyone back with uproarious cheers. Kyoshi had made a full recovery and returned to her duties. She had a new primary task of helping treat Kelsangs injuries from the fight. 

Yun was being celebrated for his feats and his waterbending escape. Lu Beifong had even scheduled a party just for his honor.

Yes, things were basically back to normal…. But more importantly. Rangi had gone back to her normal self. She was mother henning the hen out of Kyoshi. She was constantly checking up on her whenever she could. As if Kyoshi didn’t already have a thousand reasons to love the firebender, Rangi’s actions just made her find a thousand more everyday.

Well one new thing had changed about Rangi. She stared at Kyoshi’s hands a lot more often.

Kyoshi did hurt her knuckles in the fight with Tagaka, but after a few days the bruising and healing had run its course. So, at first, Kyoshi thought she was just concerned about the injury. Now, Kyoshi wondered if Rangi expected her to wear the gauntlets she got her? Surely not, they weren’t exactly servant-friendly. Or should she say, it didn’t make her look like a friendly servant?

Other than that, nothing else had changed. Oh, Kyoshi was keeping her promise to do whatever Rangi asked of her. So far, her requests weren’t that far outside of what she usually had to do. 

At least, until……right now?!

“Are you going to attend the Beifong party?” Rangi asked. The two girls were lounging in the brush behind the mansion. Kyoshi was on break, and they were sharing onigiri for lunch. Rangi was uncharacteristically eating rather slowly, she usually wolfed her food down as fast as possible. Kyoshi wondered if it was so she could enjoy the food at Kyoshi’s pace. 

Kyoshi looked at her, confused. “No? Why would I be invited?”

Rangi scoffed. “I mean, you were technically the one who took out Tagaka. You should be there.”

Kyoshi took a bite of onigiri, chewed it, and then swallowed. “Do you want me to go?”

Rangi mimicked Kyoshi before speaking again. “Yes.”

“I don’t have an outfit.”

“We’ll get you one.”

“Am I even allowed to go?”

“I’ll convince them.”

Kyoshi picked at the grass in front of her. She supposed it wouldn’t be that big of a deal if she did go. But there was one thing that was holding her back on committing to Rangi’s request. “I need to take care of Kelsang.”

Rangi was silent for a moment, and then sighed forlornly. “Then that’s what you should do.”

Kyoshi snorted. “So now you don’t want me to go?”

A smile played on Rangi’s face. “I never said that. I do want you to be there. Revel in the victory…. But Master Kelsang needs you, I won’t keep you from that.”

Kyoshi took in Rangi’s softened features, marveling at how beautiful the other girl was. Then she awkwardly laid her head on Rangi’s shoulder, trying her best to avoid the spikes. “Thank you,” she sighed and Rangi responded with a hum.

Kyoshi looked down at the hand she was leaning on to support most of her weight. It was so close to Rangi’s. She thought of brushing her hand up against Rangi’s, but pig chickened out at the last second.

The two stayed like that, eating in silence until a gong rang out, indicating that lunch was over. They both sighed and got to their feet, as they finished off their food.

Rangi was about to dash off towards the barracks when Kyoshi stopped her. The normally tidy soldier had a piece of rice stuck to the corner of her lip.

“Rangi, wait!” She gently plucked the stray rice from Rangi’s face. “There you go. You’re all good now!” She grinned at Rangi, showing off the grain that was stuck between her thumb and forefinger. 

Rangi stared at Kyoshi with an unreadable expression. Then she turned her attention to Kyoshi’s hand, her eyes hardening with intent. Before Kyoshi could speak, Rangi gently took Kyoshi’s hand, and ate the single grain from Kyoshi’s fingertips. Her soft lips brushing against her fingers from the action.

Kyoshi’s breath hitched, and she could feel a fire burning course through her. Before Rangi pulled away, Kyoshi was able to gently press her thumb and caress Rangi’s bottom lip.

“Thanks,” she said, her voice low and raspy. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and looked up with half lidded eyes. Then she smiled coquettishly at Kyoshi. “I don’t like wasting food.”

She turned on her heel and made her way to the barracks, this time with a slight sway to her hips as she walked away.

Kyoshi could only stare after her. Afraid that the fire inside her might catch the rest of the mansion on fire if she moved.

___________________

“You and Rangi seem pretty….. close,” Kelsang said nonchalantly.

Kyoshi jumped as she deposited the used bandages into the trash, and pulled out new ones.

“O-of course, we’re friends,” Kyoshi tried to cover up. She’d be more on edge of Rangi overhearing, but she’d already left for the party along with most other people.

Kelsang raised a knowing eyebrow at Kyoshi. “You don’t have to only be friends to be close.” Kyoshi’s heart began to throb as he continued to talk. “You can be something….in addition to friends.”

“We’re not….” Kyoshi started. Not sure where the sentence was going to end. She wasn’t sure what was going on between her and Rangi, only that something had started to change. “We’re not…. anything…. more….atthemoment.”

Kelsang hummed, as he scratched near his wound. Kyoshi smacked his hand away so that he wouldn’t mess with the scab, and placed some healing salve on it.

“Do you want there to be something more?” he prodded.

“You’re being a very nosy monk,” Kyoshi muttered. She kept silent as she applied the ointment, and then finally spoke again when she began to wrap the fresh bandages around his torso. “She wouldn’t want me,” she finally admitted.

Kelsang gave her an incredulous look. “What makes you say that?”

Kyoshi finished tying the bandages and began to put the supplies away. “She’s… well… she’s Rangi. And I’m just Kyoshi. Why would she want someone like me?”

Rangi was like the sun itself, she was a guiding light for everything in her path. Kyoshi was just a plant, happy to be basking in her presence.

Kelsang snorted and groaned. “Kyoshi, for the love of every spirit in existence, just confess to her.”

Kyoshi stopped what she was doing and whirled around to look at him bugeyed. “What?! D-did you not hear what I just said?”

“Yes, Kyoshi. But-ahem- if you don’t mind me quoting Hei-Ran for a moment, ‘It was so stupid, that I chose to ignore it for both our wellbeings,’” he said, looking at her with a raised eyebrow. 

Kyoshi stood there with her mouth hanging open. Kelsang never spoke in such a rough manner, well rough for a monk. Maybe it was the bloodloss? Perhaps he lost more than the doctor had considered? Was it messing with his mind?

“I’m going to get the doctor!” Kyoshi said, running out of the room.

“Wha-what for?!” Kelsang called after her.

“You obviously aren’t in the right state of mind!” Kyoshi yelled as she rounded down the hall.

“Kyoshiiiiii!” Kelsang bemoaned from his bed.

______________________________

Kyoshi threw some seed into the koi pond and watched as the koi came up and greeted her with gaping mouths.

What is Kelsang thinking? There’s no way Rangi feels that way about me! Yes we’ve been acting….a bit closer than usual. But that’s normal for friends, right?

Kyoshi wasn’t sure, she never had a friend until she met Rangi and Yun. All the other kids just tried to hit her with rocks. 

She tried to remember how the other children interacted with each other. Just how close they got. She remembered some of the girls would hold hands or interlock their arms, at least when they were younger…. 

Rangi and her hadn’t done anything like that. And what they had done was a bit more…..intimate.

Then her mind wandered to the iceberg. Her and Rangi’s face pressed close together, drinking each other in. Rangi flushed against her body, feeling every curve against her back. Her lips on Kyoshi’s fingers. What her lips would feel like against-

The sound of intense splashing knocked her out of her reverie. She looked down, the feed bag had begun to slink down her arm, and the food was falling with abandon into the pond. The koi were going crazy.

She quickly righted herself and fixed the upturned bag. She had emptied about a third of its contents into the pond….. She looked around the garden to make sure no one saw, then proceeded to hustle her way back to the barn. She weighed her options to lie and say that a frog squirrel was the one who reduced its contents after a strategic break in.

As she ran, her mind wandered back to Rangi.

Perhaps… Kyoshi would confess. Not because she thought it was a good idea. But because she knew she was reaching that breaking point, whether she liked it or not.

____________

The rain was torrential outside, coming down almost like a waterfall. It had been a few days since Rangi and Yun had left the mansion for the Beifong party. Partially from travel time, and partially from having to mingle with the politicians after the supposed party had ended. 

She sighed, a little grateful that the travel time would be cut down thanks to Kelsang lending them his bison Pengpeng, but she wouldn’t be able to see them until tomorrow at the earliest. She supposed she should be grateful, at least they weren’t caught out in this rain.

Again, she should be grateful, but it was overlooked by the aching of wanting her friends to be back already. For Rangi to be back.

She tossed and turned in her bed, insomnia taking her once again. She laid there, listening to the sky waterfall slamming outside her window, until a wrap at her bedroom door startled her.

Kyoshi looked at the door, confused. The only person it could be would be Kelsang or Auntie Mui. Nevertheless, she grabbed her night robe and threw it on over her clothes and approached the door. 

She swung the door open, and gasped at the sight in front of her. “Rangi?!”

Rangi stood in front of Kyoshi’s door, absolutely drenched. Her once fine dress was caked with mud at the ends, and the top dangerously sagged around her shoulders more than it was intended to. Her hair was done in a more intricate style, but it was now slightly falling apart, stray hairs falling out in various places. The hairs near her face clung to her cheeks and forehead. Her usually pale skin was flushed, possibly from the cold water raining down from outside.

Before Kyoshi could think to pull her in or ask her what was going on, Rangi flung herself at Kyoshi, knocking them both back into Kyoshi’s room. She buried her face into Kyoshi’s chest and she wrapped her arms around Kyoshi as if trying to shackle her in place. 

Kyoshi’s mind whirled, trying to catch up to her ever speeding heart. She awkwardly reached over, and closed the door. She held Rangi’s with one arm draped across her back, eliciting a sharp gasp from the smaller girl, and tried to guide her to Kyoshi’s closet so Kyoshi could wrap her in a towel.

“Rangi, what happened?! Is everything alright?” Kyoshi asked as she draped the towel around the smaller girl the best she could.

“No,” she whispered through small inhalations. “I mean, yes. Everyone else is alright but… I’m not.”

Kyoshi froze. Was Rangi hurt? Who would dare do that?! 

Kyoshi wrapped her arms around the firebender with fierce protectiveness. She wanted to protect her, even if the attack had already come. 

“Talk to me, what happened?” Kyoshi whispered in Rangi’s ear.

Kyoshi was met with more sharp inhalations, and that’s when Kyoshi realized that this was Rangi’s way of crying. 

Kyoshi hugged her harder, causing Rangi’s breathing to change again. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” she whispered again.

Kyoshi relaxed, but only a little. “Then, what’s the matter?”

“Oh, Kyoshi….” Rangi lifted her head from Kyoshi’s chest, to nuzzle into the crook of Kyoshi’s neck. Kyoshi could feel the girl’s nose and lips pressed against her. A mixture of ice and fire, that sent shockwaves down Kyoshi’s being. “Please…..”

Kyoshi gulped. She was….making a request. Ok, Kyoshi could comply! ….but what did Kyoshi need to do?

“W-what do you need me to do?” Kyoshi stuttered.

“I can’t do this anymore,” Rangi’s cry was barely audible. She lifted herself away from Kyoshi, and took Kyoshi’s face in her hands. 

Kyoshi’s wide eyes stared right into Rangi’s tearful ones. 

“Please, Kyoshi,” Rangi pleaded one final time, before pulling Kyoshi’s face down and pressing their lips together. 

Kyoshi’s eyes widened and then screwed shut. Her grip on Rangi loosened, and she was vaguely aware of the towel falling to the floor. Kyoshi’s entire focus was remaining stockstill, afraid of ruining the moment, as well as enjoying the warm glow that Rangi’s lips provided.

Until it was all cruelly ripped away.

Kyoshi’s eyes flew open to see Rangi’s covering her mouth, looking away, aghast. “I-I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.” 

Kyoshi stared at her confused, unsure why Rangi was apologizing. For all she cared about, she was happy Rangi had done it. In fact, she hadn’t gotten her fill just yet! Why did it have to stop?

Rangi took a step back, as if she’d just done something wrong. Rangi ran a hand through her hair as she retreated backwards. “I-I’m sorry, I should go-.”

She made a break for the door. As she did, it clicked in Kyoshi’s head. Like the nimrod that she was, she’d made the wrong expression, again. Rangi must’ve thought she didn’t want her to kiss her. 

Just as Rangi started opening the door, Kyoshi lunged and slammed it before Rangi could fully open it. She kept her hand there, so the door wouldn't dare open. With her other arm, she snaked around Rangi's waist and hugged her from behind. They stood there, their breathing ragged. 

“Rangi, don’t go,” Kyoshi said, leaning down to nuzzle her face into the crook of Rangi’s neck. Rangi sighed and leaned back into Kyoshi’s touch. “I don’t want you to leave.”

Kyoshi picked her head up to look at Rangi, making sure to make the right expression this time. One filled with want and desire. And then she kissed her.

_____________

A/N: Rangi's dramatic ass would do a whole “I ran here in the rain to confess to you” fkdjsa TT0TT (also I know! I’m breaking the rules. Rangi confessing and kissing Kyoshi first? Le gasp! Sue me for I wanting to spice it up u_u)

Also, plant Kyoshi *holds gently in my hands* precious little plant :3c

Wait! I just realized! I broke my “crock pot slow burn curse!” :’D This is the fastest any char has gotten together in my fics! *looks at Thief in the Avatar Estate* Ok in my defense I did intend to get them together faster there, but plans changed! TT0TT

…Anyway, who wants to know what Rangi was thinking during all of this? :D “What did you do to Rangi?” (ʘ‿ʘ) You’ll find out.