* star / GALAXY.

     zani smiled serenely, deeply satisfied with their plan. there was nothing like aunt fei’s to make even the worst of days somehow better. she was certain that once a strawberry smoothie was in her hands, kita would be flashing them that reluctant smile of hers as if nothing had changed. after years of knowing her, she had grown very in tune with how the older girl was feeling. then again, zani was quite in tune with the emotions of everyone. she analyzed every rise and fall of breath belonging to the people around her, wondering if a furrowed eyebrow was out of stress or concentration. it all affected her more than she could even put in words.

     however, in that moment, she was simply a young woman under the stars. wide eyes watched the darkened sky with a nearly childlike glee that could not be faked. because in a lot of sense, zani was just that — discovering the simplest, yet exciting things every single day. she cherished every new memory dearly, knowing that there was a time in her life when she could only experience so little.

         “ it’s a beautiful night to walk. ” she repeated with a nod, a bright smile on her face as she turned to look at haru. it was then that she became aware of how tightly she clung to his hand, but there was no urge in her body to break away. it felt nice to be close to him. he was a sturdy, immovable presence to most, yes, but not to her. to her, he was something short of a soft place to land.

     she blinked out of her reverie, smile softening into something more bashful as her gaze returned to the sky. “ — my mama once told me the stars are the eyes of souls that have already passed… watching their loved ones from above. ”

in these moments, could he be blamed for thinking there wasn’t any trouble in the world ? given the cool breeze, her warm gaze and the lights of the city coming to life around them. he knew that he was a type predisposed to fear — he could try to convince himself it was an emotion less serious, but it was always fear. fear of the future, of the past, of the next battle. zani had the remarkable ability to draw his pain out of him with water, and his fear out of him with her smile. this instant, he hoped, would go on forever.

haru glanced up at the sky, sighing softly at the sight. you saw stars at the fire nation capital too — but they looked different. dotted in between dark clouds and swirling smoke, they were more sirens than stars, inspiring little hope. here, they were enormous, rich in the sky like jewels in a necklace. he realised now how people could make poetry of them. 

as if on cue, zani spoke, and haru turned to her as she looked away. souls that have already passed. he swallowed thickly. what do you do if the souls watching over you were strangers to you, paintings on a wall ? did they forget you ?

haru hoped that they didn’t watch over him. it racked him with guilt to know that he couldn’t remember their faces. “ i see, ” he said, nevertheless. “ they’re beautiful. ”

but he was looking at her, not the sky. 

only when the words had landed gently did he blink and turn back up. “ it’s good to have someone look out for you, isn’t it ? ” unless you counted michi, she didn’t have anybody looking out for her the night she stumbled on their camp. so he would, until his last breath. this was a silent promise. 

     kita rolled her eyes, but the endeared smile that bloomed on her features betrayed any kind of actual annoyance. as if she could really have any negative connotation towards feya. being mad at her would be like being mad at the sun — and considering the amount of darkness she found herself surrounded by, she selfishly wished to bask in the presence. still, her gaze was unwavering as she waited for the other to finally join her at tables. eventually, she did and her sudden initiative startled her into action.

         “ not by yourself ! ” the brunette chastised in a light tone, rushing over to lift up the other side of the table so feya wouldn’t have to bear the weight alone. “ we can lift them together. don’t pull your back out for this damn school. ” she tossed out with a rueful shake of her head, the teasing evident in her green eyes.

     with a gentle grunt, she began walking backwards out of the library, allowing ( and trusting ) feya to be the eyes to get them to the cafeteria in one piece. “ you definitely should have made either haru or rao come help out. ” kita groaned as they walked. sure whatever, they were independent women and all that empowering bullshit but even the other had to admit that this task would have been ten times easier with the cursed presence of testosterone.

feya’s sense of accomplishment when she graduated high school was far less than what she felt in the moment when kita’s lips quirked. sure — anyone could get their diploma. but not everyone could win a coveted eye-roll-smile combo, in a public place, in broad daylight. that was talent. and surely, that was the explanation for the sudden rush of energy that managed to get the table halfway across the room before she let it go, panting. 

“ damn, true. ” lord, the men you put on this earth to move tables were making elaborate coffee drinks and playing video games instead. haru could easily be bullied into doing all the moving himself, and rao’d leap into action the second he sensed an act of service yet to be delivered. masochistic of her to try to be a girlboss. 

but hey, it meant she got to get kita by herself. a bigger win than respect. 

“ i dunno, ” she said, staring down the empty hallways. “ why do i feel like i’m never gonna get rid of this place ? like. in my head. wait ... did i peak in high school ? ” though her tone was playful, she made a disgusted face. she stared back at the table, then into kita’s eyes, as they began their next round of lifting. “ oof — i could really go for those those shitty chocolate pudding-things. ” heaven knows they were the best thing the cafeteria had to offer. 

     her hands immediately gripped haru’s forearms, using their combined strength to slip into the window with crashing into anything or making them fall. decades of practice made the two quite the seasoned experts in the physicality of it all. and just like every single time before, kita didn’t dare to breathe until her feet were firmly on the floor of his bedroom and the window was closed once again behind her. she was safe. 

      she didn’t answer his greeting. the fear and panic that spiked harshly through her chest was now morphing into its second stage. kita could feel the dreadful sting of tears in her eyes, a similar pain coursing up her throat as a lump began to form. instantly, the brunette turned away from haru, forcing out shallow breaths to collect herself. a minute or so… that was all she needed. then, she was prepared to face him once more. thankfully, the dimness of the room would be enough of a shield from the redness in her eyes.

          “ not yet. ” kita finally replied, her voice shockingly even for someone who’d been so close to breaking down just mere moments before. dinners were not a thing in the sinaga household. she couldn’t even recall the last meal she’d eaten in that house. usually, her food source wholeheartedly depended on her friends or her job. it was only then that she realized that her shift ended right before lunch time and she hadn’t eaten a single bite since. hell, she didn’t even realize she was hungry until haru asked. 

     clearly, other things preoccupied her mind.

for all her force of will, kita’s frame could still be supported by him, as well as when haru was at his physical prime. closing the latch on the door felt as relieving as switching on a fan, calm replacing a panic he hadn’t even fully registered until it ebbed away from him. even if his words weren’t answered, it was alright. it was his way of extending the metaphorical hand, whether or not kita chose to take it. 

then she turned. he did not turn with her.

those that didn’t know them would find the thought odd, but haru marvelled at the fact that they weren’t family. both of them approached the toughest feelings the same way, digging into themselves and burying, layering panicked dirt over any source of pain, of weakness. he was simply quieter than her when shovelling. all he did was shift closer to her, enough to feel her near. hopefully, she would remember he was around too, even if he wasn’t looking. 

“ okay, ” he responded, hiding his grief well. did you eat? ahra would ask that question before kita even slipped her shoes off at the front door. the easiest way to ask if she was well. “ there’s some leftover japchae downstairs, ” he informed. “ omma should be asleep, and the windows are shuttered. do you want to come ? ”

powerless guilt threatened to bubble up in him in the silence. ever since the last visit, he had been so sure that the rows had stopped. how much had she endured before finally deciding to come to his window ? she would never say. he wasn’t sure he wanted to know, even. 

        “ i’d like to think this friendship is mutually symbiotic. ” she teased easily with a soft giggle, twirling the strap of the lunch bag between her fingers. hadn’t that always been the way ? be it exchanging crayons during an elementary art class or sharing a floatie on a hot summer day at rao’s pool — zani thornton and yeo haru were absolutely no strangers at giving just as much as they took. 

     her eyes lit up at the sight of muffins. a personal favorite of hers, and she swore by the fact that the cafe had the best there was. almost immediately, the petite woman turned away from the counter and headed towards their usual spot: the round table in the corner next to the small window and a worn bookshelf. usually, it occupied six beings but for today, they would have to make do with just the two. as she passed by other occupants, zani greeted them all with warm smiles and kind waves, much to the delight of those she zeroed in her attention on. 

         “ oh… it was good ! ” for a moment, her smile dimmed, contradicting the perkiness of her words. while it felt like the others had jobs or at least goals to get them through each and every day, zani often times felt like she was floundering. like a fish out of water. no purpose, not anything. but almost immediately, she cleared the darkened expression. no need to burden a good day with woes, after all ! 

    as she took a seat, she carefully pulled out two neatly packaged containers of the meal, still warm from the transfer from her kitchen. her eyes locked with her best friend, offering a smile, as she pushed one over to his side of the table. napkins and forks soon followed. “ busy day here ? ”

flashbacks to high school biology, when the world seemed so much smaller. he couldn’t refute it at all. he’d give zani anything she wanted for nothing in return but her presence, her attention — that fact, he had decided quite a few years ago. so he straightened his apron and tried to look far more awake than he really was. as he walked to their spot with the packet of muffins, he threw a sidelong glance to check if anyone would need refills soon. they all looked content.

haru nodded with a soft smile, though the ends of his lips didn’t stretch all the way. zani, of the five of them, didn’t make a scene of her troubles. that kept the peace, but it also meant that he would be tempted to watch her expressions for sadness, the urge to make her smile rising and falling in him like a wave. it had been far worse back — back in the day. since then, he’d repressed much of his more elaborate feelings for her. 

he accepted the lunch with a dipped head. “ same as always, ” he said plainly. it was evident to most that knew him that he wasn’t the best person to have a long, idle chat with, but zani always seemed to tolerate him for hours. nevertheless, he made an attempt to be brighter for her. “ but i like it. routine, i mean. makes the world feel like its spinning but — not too fast. ” 

the chicken was still warm and smelling of herbs, the perfect comfort on a quiet day. if he let it linger too long, the cafe’s quiet started to feel like suffocation, not peace. another reason he liked having her around. “ this gets better every time you make it, zani. what’s the secret ? ”

         “ that actually does shock me. ” rao matched linh’s sarcasm quite easily. they were equals in that regard, constantly participating in a battle of the wits. she was a worthy opponent, and had been one for over a decade now. he couldn’t imagine anyone else sitting beside him in the passenger seat on a rather warm late night. as one hand remained on the wheel, the other took purchase around the back of the other’s seat, his posture falling languidly as he drove. for the moment, there was only silence but he predicted in about three minutes, his best friend would get far too antsy with the tranquility and turn the radio on.

     until that moment occurred, the young man pondered on her question. “ there’s always the diner. ” he spoke up once they landed at a stop light, turning his head to look at her. kita was probably working the graveyard shift and that pretty much guaranteed a bunch of extra free food to consume — a lovely perk he’d enjoyed since their high school days. but tonight, he had a lot of restless energy to burn away after dealing with his dad and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to spend an hour waiting around for food. besides, the diner got pretty fucking weird after midnight with its inhabitants. 

         “ but i’m not really feeling burgers or breakfast… angel’s ? ” rao tacked on as the light turned green. angel’s was a hole in the wall takeout only taco stand that probably violated about fifteen health violations, but they had the best damn burritos he’d ever tasted. and they weren’t stingy with the guac. raising an eyebrow, the tall male waited for linh’s approval. it wasn’t like they had many options in a town as small as this one. the pizza joint closed at eleven and usually, the seafood spot was reserved for special occasions — like dates and celebrations. 

she rolled her eyes for what she assumed would be the first time out of five hundred that night. playing up his already inflated ego for sarcasm was practically an art form for him, and she couldn’t help but indulge it every time. indulge it by falling back into her seat and rolling down the window, waiting for the night air to wash tiredness from her. her curious gaze travelled along the length of his arm to the back of her chair, and soon returned to indifference. surely, it wasn’t necessary to do that for a good turn. he just liked looking cool, the little shit. it wasn’t a minute after they had been on the road before linh had flicked the radio on, hoping for soft rock rather than anything that’d make her ears throb.

the music wasn’t there to listen to, as much as to keep them company. silence with anyone was hard, but unbearable with rao. he took care of that in his own way, though, striking up conversation when it was most needed. 

the diner never gave her particularly good vibes. seeing kita there only made her sympathetic in a way kita probably hated — that put a damper on the scene already. that, and during the night, she wanted someplace speedy, without commitment. when rao suggested angel’s, she almost laughed. motherfucker could read her mind, and she hated him for it.

“ nah, ” she said. “ i’m feeling a clam chowder. ” she couldn’t even finish the sentence without smirking. she didn’t even like chowder, out of all the options available at the seafood spot. “ angel’s has that sauce right — the one that makes your lungs burn. that’s what i need. no better way to feel alive than to, like, almost die. "

      zani could only smile sheepishly at feya’s confidence. she needed it a lot of the times. as inanna continued to tread through new experiences and intense environments, her sister had remained unshakeable, an immovable force of nature. she couldn’t help but look at her in awe then, and the same now — perched in the producer’s chair like she was meant to be there.

     she really was.

          “ i’m really proud of it. ” zani replied, her smile turning more and more genuine. idly, she stepped over to stand next to her sister. of course, her doubtful comment would not go unnoticed. her teeth sunk into her lower lip as feya spoke up once again. “ you’re right, you’re right. ” she tacked on quietly but swiftly. she never wanted feya to think she didn’t believe in them. zani believed in them more than anything in this world.

      a soft giggle escaped as feya placed a ‘crown’ on her head. she played her part well, not wanting to upset her twin further, giving a gentle nod. “ thank you for the coronation. ” zani replied with a softly playful gist. manicured fingers tapped against the smooth surface of the producing desk, a thoughtful gaze forming on her features. 

          “ it’s really really cool we’re here, isn’t it ? ” she inquired, unable to stop smiling. they lived in los angeles in a beautiful place and currently, they were in a recording studio. these felt like moments out of a movie, like the dreams they used to have as little girls. not reality.

with an anchored leg still swinging the chair from left to right, feya looked back on their illustrious career. well, really, it had all come out of nowhere, hit like a truck. their oldest songs were played again and again on the radio, follower counts burst, mentions exploded. it felt like it had happened overnight, but it had been a long time coming, all the same. a strange feeling, and she couldn’t dwell on the journey for too long. 

“ me too, ” she responded, the erstwhile confidence giving into something childish and ecstatic. her giggle afterward only strengthened her glee. “ i don’t want you losing faith, babe, is all — we. can. do. this. ” 

if not — her entire life would be a waste. but things had worked out better than fine so far, and feya didn’t think there was any reason for pessimism. when did she ever ? sure, there were some ominous events coming up that their manager had mentioned, but feya refused to dedicate any of her precious brain cells to those. removing the imaginary crown from zani’s cute little head, she put it down carefully on the low table betwenn

“ it still feels unreal. ” she picked herself out of her relaxed lean, inching closer to her twin. never for a second had she believed it wasn’t possible, but now she was here. she’d gotten her proof that it was. but now, she had to hold onto it. when she wasn’t famous — when she didn’t have to worry what people thought of her, as a person, it was all simple, but now ... everything felt like it could disappear any time. she had to fight for it. for them. 

“ oh shoot, almost forgot. mom called. she wants to fly out next weekend ... for tourist purposes. ”

     mentally, kita repeated the lyric but with haru’s advice. as usual, he was right. the delivery sounded much better that way. it may not have been a compliment given out loud but she was sure he would understand the appreciation nonetheless. all it took was a simple nod and a grateful expression exchanged between the two — partners in every sense of the word. 

           “ yeah, i know.” she scoffed as they walked. if she thought she had a semblance of control over the situation, the two of them wouldn’t be standing here discussing a world tour. “ there’s no way out of that. i was talking about the other acts involved. ” her disdain was clear on her face, as if even uttering their names would set a curse upon the two of them. 

     honestly, what was the label thinking ? renegade and inanna ? a braggadocious, try hard rap duo and a giggly, overly media trained pop group… in what world would that ever fit with flare. it wasn’t even about the music for these lame ass executives ; this was just another way to milk a cash cow of owning them all under one company. and now they would have to suffer through the process of dealing with them for about seven months.

     fuck. if she counted rehearsals and press, it was probably closer to a year.

          “ where should we add teeth on the setlist, do you think ? ” kita inquired. too lightly — it was a surefire sign that something cruel was soon to follow. “ before the bubblegum serenade of ‘female empowerment’ or after the over-the-top flex about a lamborghini ? ”

not once in their career had the two disagreed on anything serious about the production of a song. maybe the intensity of a bassline or the quality of the snare, but no more. silence meant acceptance, and he followed without further mention of it. 

the sharp way she responded pricked at him ever so slightly. ironic that their lives were more constraint than choice, given their music. if they had no choice in doing the tour, they had no choice in who they would do the tour with. it was all or nothing, always. he was, by now, utterly resigned to it all. moreover, he was always surprised by kita’s ability to resist, to complain, even if the end was the same, every time. 

sure, if he had to force himself to have an opinion on the matter — he barely knew renegade in person, having only listened to a few singles out of sheer curiosity. to work with inanna would’ve been a blessing in any circumstances other than these. right when they seemed poised to become the chart topper of the label, it felt like dirt kicked in flare’s faces to have them collaborate. professionally speaking, of course. 

his mind idly flit to the incomplete song, the one zani’d mentioned. he wondered if that would ever see the light of day. 

the corners of his lips quirked and fell in quick succession. not that he expected anything less acerbic. “ best i can think of is ... people i don’t like, because of the beat. or is that title too on the nose ? ” 

the greeter at the restaurant had seen them coming. the path inside practically cleared itself. 

     she knew it was impossibly silly of her to think, but zani honestly didn’t think she could tired of watching haru. each time came with this new excitement of learning something new about him — an endearing mannerism or a very specific quirk. she constantly found herself committing him to memory. almost as if he’d suddenly vanish right before her eyes some day. god, she’d never felt like this before but now she could begin to understand an inkling of the songs she grew up loving. 

          “ exactly that. ” she answered with a bright smile as he repeated the melody back to her. it hadn’t left her head for days. zani was itching for some quiet time in the studio to lay it down and figure out what words to occupy it. “ i keep having this dream whenever it plays. like i’m floating above los angeles… maybe searching for something ? it’s scary but freeing. ” 

     her musings were gentle but edged on excitable. she loved talking about music and dreams and little moments that most people overlooked. that much was obvious by the amount of rambly 3am voice messages that he had to endure. still, zani shut herself up by taking a polite bite of the chocolate croissant, shaking her head with a sheepish giggle. “ oh, you don’t have to do that. i know you’re busy. ” with her free hand, she reached out to rest a hand against haru’s. “ but, thank you. ”

a foreign calm washed over haru whenever he was around her. he realised how exhausting the rest of the world could be in the happiness she gave him. the studio felt like a prison cell sometimes, kita his sole company. it was all too easy to forget his love of music. but her, her voice, the glint in her eyes, could bring it back in a crashing wave. that, or it was love for her. he didn’t know which of the two loves was greater. 

he hummed in contemplation at her description. ever the producer, he could imagine the melody as a voice in a background that evoked floating. distorted synth or piano, perhaps. just before he could pitch the idea, she spoke again, and michi distracted him briefly by purring into his hand. 

“ not too busy, ” he assured, sitting himself up. they were still waiting on approval for bury a friend. “ i’ll definitely have a moment to myself to tinker a bit. if something comes out of it, i’ll send it to you. ”

     kita tried with all her might not to roll her eyes. her frustration wasn’t necessarily meant for haru but as the only other person present, he would receive the brunt of it as he always did. god, he had the patience of a saint. the least she could do was try not to wear it to the ground before the two even made it to the city. everything her brother was saying made sense ; she simply did not want to hear it.

          “ fine. ” she agreed. hopefully, that was enough to show that she was actually more than fine to have haru joining. the former princess had never been good with words. anything that wasn’t said with heavy contempt should file itself as a compliment. that was simply her way.

      she didn’t mind the silence as the two ventured further away from camp and deeper into the forest. in fact, kita welcomed it. it was necessary if they wanted to pick up on animal noises and get their second meal. the two of them never forced conversation where it wasn’t needed, and for that she was grateful.

          “ you take east, i take west—? ” her suggestion broke off at the sound of branch snapping. it was far too heavy of an impact to be an animal. in an instant, kita’s eyes narrowed, her hand suddenly ablaze as she whipped around toward the source. a royal guard, a bounty hunter — she had prepared herself mentally to face one or the other. 

     what she hadn’t been prepared for was an absolutely terrified girl, yelping at the sight of fire and stumbling backwards onto the ground.  

          what the hell ?

           “ who are you ? ” kita answered harshly, the tone causing the stranger to flinch. the fire ferret on her shoulder looked equally fearful. “ well ? answer. ”

her eye-roll slid off haru like a breeze. after all, he had seen her through the worst of pains and frustrations, and this was the mildest of her expressions. thinking on it only brought back bile and bad memories, so he focused instead on checking his belongings, sparse as they were. a compass and map they’d taken from a port, a couple of knives for carving and skewering, and their weak money pouch. 

he expected no answer other than a short, near-neutral response. the night air was cool, which meant, in his mind, at least, that there would be a lot of activity in the forest. as they walked, he watched the trees with caution. it was better to assume danger where there wasn’t any. kept you awake, much needed after their day. 

nodding preemptively, it took him an odd moment to react to the branch snapping. call it a summoning of all his strength. when he followed his sister’s gaze to the offending site, his expression was steeled rather than furious. combat needed a clear mind. 

this was not, however, combat. 

haru’s shoulders slouched instantly. given the girl’s stature, curling in on herself, she would not attack. the only sort of attacker here that would pretend to be small would be thieves — and those could be easily fended off, especially if they didn’t catch you by surprise. haru had always been biased towards truce rather than violence. kita was the other way. 

hence, her tone that made the stranger and her pet flinch. “ are you hunting ? ” he posed carefully. it was a shorter, simpler question to answer, and one that would give them just as much information. that poor little creature on her shoulder, it was quivering. 

     despite feya’s reassurance, zani kept her hands to herself from that moment on. her teeth worried into her lower lip as she tucked them into her tattered fur robes. the cold was relentless in the north and it wasn’t as if their clan had much means to brave it properly. still, she did not have the heart to complain. there were people out there who had even less. the least she could do was endure the freezing temperatures without whining.

          “ like a bird… ” she repeated, her tone full of amazement. that thought of an airbender sounded utterly unreal. her eyes widened in wonder as she looked over at her sister. if only. if only she could meet one. zani had many questions to ask.

     it surprised her more than it probably should to have feya reach back out to make contact first. her twin was not one to deprive comfort but typically, she felt as if she was always the one, clinging tightly to the other. a smile looped itself onto her features as she squeezed her sister’s hand in response. all she ever needed was feya. 

          “ can we ? ” the question was meek. worried. zani didn’t want to get into trouble. it was the same hesitation she possessed when the two climbed this very hill to begin with. “ it’s outside of the perimeters… mama told us not to stray far. ”

feya could tell when zani felt her instinct to shrink. it was one of the few things that perplexed her about her twin — how could anyone shrink when living on a land of ice, and having the power to bend it ? feya felt as powerful as a spirit on most days. even more so when she was staring into that unconquerable horizon that was practically inviting her to seek it. she brightened when she found some excitement in zani’s voice. 

“ spirits above, ” feya swore. “ who on earth knows what else is out there ? ” turning with an especially devious grin on her face, she put on a chilling voice as she continued, “ loads of monsters ... with six heads and eight arms. ”

even the act of intimidating didn’t suit her. she broke character with a throaty laugh. “ ‘course we can. i’ll tell mama we were chasing a snow hare. ” she’d all but prepared herself for the most withering looks that yiroh was capable of. plus, it wouldn’t be that hard to catch a real snow hare and pretend it was their bounty the whole time. the vague plan was prepared in her mind, so she set it aside. 

     the mention of ten thousand tweets definitely caused his eyebrow to lift in surprise. sure, it may have been a minuscule amount compared to each time a member of bts changed their hair color — but it was still hella wild to think about copious amount of people talking about them. he remembered the times when they were essentially performing a state fairs to a crowd of no more than fifty. now, they were the number one trending song on tiktok.

     see ma, i told you i could do it.

          “ speaking of, wanna head to the studio to add the finishing touches on gmt ? ” rao inquired, narrowing his eyes when he noticed her searching for her wallet. “ fuck off. ” he added on bluntly, reaching out to snatch up the check before linh could even see the amount. it always irritated him on a personal level when other people didn’t let him pay. maybe because he was just so fucking grateful to have the money and resources to treat the people in his life the way he liked. the only person who didn’t fight him on it was mali.

     ah, shit. he promised her a signed inanna poster. he’d have to ask their label rep about that. 

         “ it’s not even that much. on me. ” his voice was firm as he slipped his credit card inside, holding it to his chest so she couldn’t snatch it. “ you can get next time. ” ( he said, every time. )

it’s difficult to click off her phone, given the stream of compliments coming in, but she managed it. it just made her giddier than she could ever admit, the fact that people — thousands of people that she would never even know, were listening. listening to her. the rush of power made her practically shake with excitement, but seeing rao before her, with his smug, stupid face, reminded her of her righteous duty to be cold around him.

so she only hummed her assent. that song was shaping up to be one of her favourites, and she allowed herself just a moment of self-satisfaction before her eyes narrowed. 

great, always this. rao was insufferable when a meal ended. the good feminist in her hated letting him — or anyone — pay for her, but her wallet was way less down for the cause than she was. it was an awkward, conflicted moment, and she relented every time. at least she added a, “ you do remember i get a 50% cut of whatever we get, right ? weirdo. ”

god, what a manchild. she couldn’t help but scoff at the sight of him grabbing at the menu as if he was afraid she’d snatch it back. she wouldn’t stoop to that level ( yet ). so she packed up her phone and stacked her plates on top of the other, for the sake of the server. old habit from clearing the dinner table. 

      rao noticed her expression changed ever so slightly as she mulled over his words. he hadn’t been lying to seem more impressive — he really did have no one. just himself on the streets, relying on charm and theft to survive. still, that didn’t mean he wanted linh’s pity. sympathy made him ill, especially coming from a girl who clearly didn’t normally feel the emotion.

     no thanks. he turned out perfectly fine. thank you very much.

           “ jeez… ” he chuckled, noticing how defensively she took the question. lifting his hands in mocking surrender, the half-smile on his face was clear as day as he leaned forward. she definitely was a feisty one. weren’t airbenders supposed to be totally chill ? “ not looking to start a fight, dizzy. just making conversation. is that a crime ? ” she was definitely a funny one. maybe rao should meet more airbenders.

spirits, he seemed to have an inability to take things seriously. perhaps that’s why his rough upbringing hadn’t bothered him in the slightest to mention. linh would’ve been wary, at the very least, to admit she was completely alone. it implied a certain kind of vulnerability — who would have your back when the world came for you ? she shook herself out of the various strings of thought now forming. she had work to do besides feeling sorry for him. 

“ y’know, most people start conversations at places other than the shipyard. like restaurants. cafés. parks. ” another heave and twirl, and three more boxes floated swiftly up, their speed clearly reflecting her agitation. focus, linh. otherwise she’d lose precision. 

 “ though, even if you’d found me there, ” she said coldly. “ i don’t think i would’ve cared for conversation anyway. i’m not in the city to make friends. ” just to strike gold, somehow, somewhere. 

     a part of rao wondered if this was all some big cosmic joke. it had to be. the gloomy ( but pretty hot ) architect stressed that this was the good place. really, he had to laugh. when had he and the word good ever been in the same sentence ? maybe once by the homeless guy in the skate park when he successfully completed a pivot fakie. but that had been years ago.

     he wasn’t going to complain about this scenario, though. he got welcomed by a freaking dumpling buffet on his way in. if this was heaven, he sure as here wanted to stay. 

     wait, did he just say here ?

     he didn’t have much time to linger on it, his head whipping towards the door of his new pad in intrigue. the orientation had mentioned a soulmate. an almost ridiculous word to say out loud, but rao couldn’t deny he was curious. who in this planet could even match him ?

           “ what the fork… ” the young man blurted out once he spotted the familiar face. linh dang. suddenly, heaven felt a bit like— “ what are you doing here ? is this some forking— why can’t i say fork ?! ” rao tacked on in utter exasperation, sitting up straight on the couch.

     now, things were interesting.

linh laughed shakily to keep her steadily collapsing hope together. “ fork — god, you sound like a forking kindergartener. ” one moment later, her world collapsed. “ what the fork ?! ”

this was bad. dear god, this was very, very bad. her mind rattled itself to find an explanation, and found one horrific. was heaven going to be, like, a place for personal growth ?! and forgiveness ?! fork that with a capital f. oh, jeez, she couldn’t swear in her thoughts either. in the meantime, arms braced against her hip in a power stance, linh spun around, taking the room in, and building the resolve to talk to him again. 

“ this is some mega-prank, ” she concluded. it was the only thing that made sense. “ we aren’t even dead, bet. ” 

she looked at the corners of the room for cameras, anticipating at any moment that some upstart youtuber she’d never heard of would pop out from under the sofa screaming. but nothing, and no one did. there was just tense silence, in their otherwise perfect little house. those fuckers were professionals, huh. 

“ c’mon. help me find cameras. ” 

she made quick work of hopping to the bedroom door switch, only to have an absolutely ghastly sight greet her. from top to bottom, arranged with no respect for god nor for art, were no less than twenty posters of clowns. big ones, little ones, red, white, purple, blue. she had no choice but to scream. 

— @elvmental​​ ! ( haru )

          “ GET OUT AND DON’T COME BACK ! ” 

     the bellow rung in her ears on repeat like a broken record, even after they had been thrown in her face accompanied by a flying plate. it had missed her, narrowly, but the harsh shattering against the wall was more than enough to trigger her fight or flight response.

     as always, it was flight. 

     only minutes later, kita was outside, using all of her upper body strength to pull herself up the side of the house next door. it wasn’t as easy to do as it had been in her youth — back when she was far more agile and full of stamina. even then, the skill thankfully hadn’t completely left her. with one final grunt, the brunette hoisted herself in front of the darkened bedroom window, a trembling hand curling into a fist to rap against the pane. a secret code created ages ago: knock knockknock knockknock knock knock.

      behind her, she could still hear her parents’ muffled screaming argument. as always, they turned on one another the moment she was no longer a target. teeth slicing into her inner cheek, she desperately repeated the password against the window, wanting to create as much distance as she possibly could.

           “ it’s me. ”

his head swivelled to the window immediately. 

haru’s room was always quiet when he was its sole occupant. like most nights, on that one he was seated at his decade-old desk, trying to read but finding that his eyes scanned the page and collected no meaning from any of the words. silence could be deafening, when even the owls didn’t hoot. 

the confirmation that it was her didn’t even have to come ; he was halfway to the window as she spoke. the handle to open it was a little jammed from neglect, but he managed it without so much as a sigh. as a child, he used to think they could hear him, and the habit stuck. with both hands and practiced ease, he led her into the room, partly lit a dull orange by his desk lamp and partly pale blue by the moonlight. 

“ hi, ” he said quietly, once the window was shut. ask no questions was a basic rule, but one did burn in his mind. he’d thought things were getting better. but all he felt now was a dull ache in his collarbone.