LIKE A SHOTGUN

    he stalks through the ballroom like a predator, though his intentions are more that of a leech than a lion. he searches the crowd tirelessly throughout the night, mentally dividing his time (which is precious) for each noble and socialite. it’s important for him to hit the same marks every time, consistency has always been key for him. especially when building trust, which was priceless. 

      he’s delighted when he finally spots her, the girl he’s been subconsciously searching for all night. he knew he’d see her here, of course, yet somehow it still feels like a victory. he knows not to approach empty handed, gracefully snatching two champagne flutes off a wandering waiter. 

     ‘ i know what that face means, ’ he melts into a nonthreatening posture, what someone else might just describe as friendly, as he lifts one glass to her in offering. ‘ need a drink? ’

it's mission unaccomplished before she knows it, his voice cutting through the din of the hall before another step can be taken towards the exit. asana turns, though not before her expression is locked into one of prim and proper neutrality. "i beg your pardon?" mild puzzlement until the realization hits that he's holding two flutes—one obviously meant for her.

a smile, albeit small, graces her lips as she accepts the champagne with a nod. "thank you." all the while her mind swims, searching for the moniker to match the man. someone she should remember, no doubt, or at least possess a surname that bears enough prestige to be standing here at all. only that’s the bare minimum for everyone here tonight. 

there are other nuances at play underneath, ones she’s yet to fully pinpoint, but holds a palpable awareness of. call it intuition, overthinking, innate paranoia, whatever, it makes her glance down at the white foam of bubbly and simply hold the flute as is by the stem, yet to give it a taste. asana tilts her head up to look at him again. “you’re very observant.” 

          with the older girl’s status, it isn’t difficult to keep tabs on her. not that ila actively does so. she hasn’t actively kept tabs with anyone she’s known before leaving kyoshi island. but she’s heard her fair share of updates when occasionally tuning into the news channel — mostly when she’s inebriated to a certain degree, but updates nonetheless.

          “ you’re right. ” she smiles as she takes a bite from her lunch. “ again. ”

          asana’s tone doesn’t slide past ila and she can’t help but raise a brow, even letting out a soft chuckle under her breath. “ i mean, this isn’t on my usual list of services but for you, i’ll make an exception. ” she leans forward a little, taking a sip from her glass with a sly twinkle in her eyes. 

          her next words are but a joke, but if the girl actually takes it seriously, well, she’ll have no problems with following through. “ so if you need someone to take him out, just shoot me a message. free of charge, just for you. ” 

suppose it'd be a shock if people didn't know by now, even if the very notion of it hasn't—doesn't—sit well with her. making the arrangement official to the public hadn't changed her sentiments at all. for a second, asana finds herself reassessing her initial judgement: ila might've just done something when she'd eloped with that boy back then. a glance at the engagement ring is only a stone-cold reminder that she's got a head that's screwed on too tight and there's simply too much to lose.

ila obviously means it in good jest, to find a silver lining, one could say, but even asana can't find it in herself to follow suit. her smile falters, and she slowly shakes her head. "i appreciate the offer, but you know where the fingers'll point to first, ila." 

and as if matters couldn't get any worse: "i also happen to know him since he was a child, so...” there’s no need to complete that train of thought. not when the weight of the possible repercussions says it all. 

four steps.

it’d only take her four steps to close the distance between where the shadow falls and where she stands. outside, it couldn’t look more gentle, forgiving, the grass dewy from the downpour earlier that morning. asana doesn’t move. her hands are knotted fists at her sides. there are forces in this world that could move mountains, but it took one look for the earth to quiver, split free beneath her feet.

two years ago, they’d found the burnt remains of a body. two years ago, she’d been possessed by one word, gone, gone, gone, for good, and the inconceivable agony that had nearly swallowed her whole. a single revelation, a shadow, and the glass shatters in full.

her thoughts are erratic, a charged white noise that drowns out all sense of reason. dark eyes remain fixed on him. her own silence is deafening.

a ghost. he has to be. that’s what those days, nights, hours have told her at her worst. a ghost, a ghost, a ghost, nothing but ash and a rusted relic of a memory.

(so who is this trembling for?)

four steps. she takes a step back.

the day is drawing to a close. she’d run through most of the things she’d planned for, most including exchanging handshakes, agendas and diplomatic lingo; everything that entailed things to the people, for the people, by the people. 

arriving at republic city a couple days earlier than the expected date has its perks for sure, but as asana is escorted back to her hotel, it dawns on her then that she hasn’t really done anything for herself. 

buying fresh produce was never really on the bucket list to begin with, but the seller’s high voice rings clear as a bell and it’s tentatively the next best thing to an open market. 

“hope you like boiled cabbage,” she teases her bodyguard before walking up to the girl’s cart. “is it a two for one special still?” 

          it’s not everyday that ila pulls out this red dress from her wardrobe. she didn’t even remember to pack it with the rest of her clothes until the very last minute. exceptions have to be made, especially when it comes to meeting an old friend — in a very high-end restaurant that enforces a dress code.

          she’s gone through more of her drink than her actual lunch, far too occupied catching up on the past six years with asana. she definitely didn’t expect to bump into the firebender on the streets of republic city.

          “ he was dead weight. i’m sure some sandbenders found him. ” she shrugs, taking a sip from her glass. “ i’ve gotten more shit done in the month after i dumped him than i had the year i was with him —should’ve listened to you. i know. no need to tell me. ” finally, she takes a bite from her meal. “ so, i hear you’re engaged ? ”

time is relative, so they say—mornings that drag at the pace of years, years that fly before their eyes in a blink of an eye. its weight doesn’t bear down until they’re sitting down at a table for two, reminiscing and filling in the gaps, the both of them older and (hopefully) wiser. ila seems to have both ends of the deal down, genuine growth in spades. then again, it would have been rather concerning if it was otherwise.

“not if a sand shark got to him first, which, would be well deserved.” god, she can’t even remember the prick’s name despite the fact that’d been the only one ila had at her lips for the longest time. it’d gotten to the point where asana purposely got into some heckle in order to regain her attention.

asana smiles, filled with playful mirth. “better later than never, right?”

she picks up her fork, but at the mention of well, that, her eyes dart up in a way that says don’t. "it's still news to me too." asana laughs dryly. let her interpret that how she wills.

by now, she’s going through the motions like clockwork: with the evening possessed in some drowsy, champagne and silk and small-talk doused waltz, time ticks slower. 

her status makes her presence at these functions inevitable—like it or not, know it or not (and she’d be a fool of the tallest order if she thinks otherwise), the kasai’s are one of them. and the ring on her finger is only telling of a future where this may, in fact, continue to be a miserably permanent fixture in her life. 

it’s sooner than later when asana politely excuses herself from the presence of yet another group of nobles she’d become acquainted with. restless, she’s not even sure where to go for respite, but as she makes her way through the chandelier-lit ballroom she knows she needs something, anything. a distraction, maybe, or better yet, a drink. 

much to ila's chagrin, the place she'd made a reservation at required a strict dress code from its guests. it's only expected from one of republic city's finer establishments, where caviar is served on mother of pearl as casually as cheese and crackers. 

asana's choices are a little more practical: spicy roe and cucumber salad with a light wine to wash it all down. but she’s barely touched her plate, what with the tall tale ila recounted between bites of lunch. 

“so...you left him there?” it’s neither disappointment nor surprise that shows in her expression, but something along the lines of quiet awe. “just like that?” 

asana kasai / 27 / fire bender / royal ambassador 

also princess kasai’s eldest....and in general among all the royal kids eligible 4 the crown

trained in military bullshit per tradition but was only ever exceptional in archery. 100% more into strategy n politics and is far more comfortable in that realm. a tru thinker! even did a semester at ba sing se uni when she was still a student

has a v v idealistic vision of the four nations maybe somehow getting along a lot better than they do now and has/had been slowly working on establishing some positive relationships w important officials

thinks maybe they should work on communication skills when it comes to the earth kingdom cause cmon theyre not terrible but she not out here abt to commit social suicide just yet

also thinks its the best method to get 2 b the next fire lord....way of the ppl my dude

though that path couldve been so much easier if her mama didnt just give up her right to the throne like dat but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ moving on

got engaged to kerita’s 1st born and newsflash: she hates it looooooool, its a slap to the face in the wake of all the work shes done on her own but parents kinda pressured her like !!! this’ll make the process of getting the title faster cmon wont be that bad

keeps working/going on ambassador trips whenever she can and if someone mentions the engagement she just casually skirts around the topic and is like ‘....ok! back 2 the shit at hand’ bc work is work 

also there may or may not be someone else shes secretly been in love w who she thought had died then and they rlly decided to pop back into her life in tru melodramatic fashion so uhhhh can i get a round of applause for TERRIBLE TIMING!

anyway given recent tensions it has not been easy at All so to play it safe shes seeing what she can do on the domestic front and around republic city

had she been a commoner she’d be MORE of the workaholic than she alr is rn stress smoking habits nd all

immensely stubborn and can get caught up in emotions that build until the dam bursts wahoo

looks like a little lady but she kinda projects this sort of older/mature personality which isnt very.....princessy.......if that makes sense??? bruh

has an unhealthy obsession w street food and trying 2 recreate it in the royal kitchens but to no success