#day19

The plan, in theory, is simple.

The execution? Not so much.

You stand in the middle of your living room, arms crossed over your chest while Levi stands beside you with the same level of intensity he would bring to his cleaning, except this time the stakes are slightly higher. This time, it might end in bloodshed.

“This is a bad idea,” Levi says.

“We have to do this,” you correct, glancing toward the hallway where your cat is currently lurking. “We’re moving in together. They have to meet eventually.”

Levi looks down at his Doberman, Captain, who sits patiently at his side. His posture is perfect, ears alert, the picture of obedience. It's honestly impressive how well-trained he is, but you’re not surprised considering it was Levi who trained him.

“He’ll behave,” Levi says.

“Sina won’t.”

From down the hall, summoned by the mention of her name, your cat appears. She’s already suspicious, her tail flicking once as she takes a moment to assess the situation. It looks like she’s already ready to turn right back around and hide until Levi and Captain leave.

Captain, meanwhile, perks up immediately, his tail starts to wag the moment he spots her. You know that Captain is good with other animals—he’s not the concern right now. When you adopted Sina from the shelter, the staff had warned you that Sina tolerates dogs at best. You didn’t think it would be a problem until you met Levi.

You crouch slightly, hands out. “Okay. Gentle. Everyone be normal.”

“Stop panicking—”

“Shh.”

Sina takes a few cautious steps forward. Captain leans forward eagerly. You hold your breath. Levi watches intensely, already anticipating the worst. They get closer. Closer. There’s an infinitesimal, fragile moment where it looks like things might almost go well. Sina lifts her head slightly, sniffing. Captain mirrors her, his tail wagging faster, tongue out in excitement. 

Then Sina’s paw shoots out and swats Captain clean across the nose twice before she spins and bolts in the opposite direction.

You gasp. “Sina!”

Captain doesn’t seem to understand, because all he sees when Sina runs is game.

“Oh no,” Levi says. Captain launches after her. “Captain, no!”

Your cat sprints down the hallway like a missile, claws scrabbling against the floor as she disappears around the corner, Captain thundering after her with absolute joy and obliviousness. His nails click loudly as his tail wags quickly.

You and Levi take off immediately. “Sina, stop running!” you call, sprinting after them, which is—admittedly—counterproductive.

Levi is right behind you. “Captain, heel!”

Captain doesn’t listen. He’s too busy chasing the hell out of your cat. You round the corner just in time to see Sina launch herself onto a box, then onto the dresser, then onto the empty shelf above it, scrambling up to the highest point possible. Her tail is puffed and she hisses loudly as Captain comes into view and skids to a stop below her. He looks up, panting harshly, waiting for her to resume the game.

You point. “Sit.”

He listens immediately. Levi breathes out in relief. “Good boy.”

Sina hisses again. Captain tilts his head, confused. You fall backwards onto the bed, half-laughing, half-exhausted. “Well… that went terribly.”

Levi crosses his arms and stares at the two animals, reconsidering all of his life choices that led him to this moment. “We’ll try again.”

“Yeah. Maybe with helmets next time.”

“Yeah. Maybe with helmets next time.”

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The explosion’s shock wave slammed them away, nearly crushing Rohan under their bodies.

While Kya checked on the boy, Lin sprang up, caught Tenzin’s eye, and started running, knowing he’d be right behind her.

She had time to be grateful for his ability to manipulate the smoke into a funnel leading upward, but that just meant they could see the threatening rain of debris hurtling back down.

She reached out with her own bending, but so much of what was falling was wood. Tenzin couldn’t fend it off and control the smoke at the same time, so she pulled up a slab of stone to give them at least some cover. They cowered against each other.

Kya barrelled into their sides, squeezing under the limited shelter.

None of them spoke. They hadn’t gotten close enough to learn anything. Tenzin needed to concentrate.

Lin and Kya peeked out, and could see the fire burning frighteningly high. With a glance at each other, they decided enough of the detritus had fallen that they could risk getting closer to whatever had exploded.

They ran, Tenzin’s steps louder than usual as he kept his focus on funneling the smoke away.

The screams for help spurred them to run faster, and Lin began to pull away from the siblings.

No other emergency personnel were in sight. She couldn’t see a sign for what the building was, so she skidded to a halt and slammed her foot to the ground as hard as she could.

There was a blur under one corner of the building.

Lava.

Someone was sabotaging the building.

Another explosion ripped from an upper floor. Lin ducked behind another slab, Kya and Tenzin nearly crushing her as they caught up to her.

“There has to be a lavabender around here.” She pointed to the corner where she had felt the disturbance. “I’m going to try to take them out. You two look for victims.”

Her gratitude for their cooperation was but a fleeting feeling as she bolted for the location she thought she had felt the ground weakening.

Thanks to Tenzin’s work, she saw the figure bending the lava, trying to extend the intrusion around the perimeter of the building. She could see when the figure noticed her, because their gestures sped up, as if they were trying to get the building melted before Lin could get there.

She didn’t need her bending to feel the lurch the foundation gave as its supporting bedrock began to melt.

Nearly in a panic, she reached out with her bending to hold the building upright. She glanced over her shoulder to see the smoke beginning to fall down the burning building again.

The assailant was shouting something, but Lin couldn’t hear through the blood roaring in her ears.

This time, she didn’t have four other benders helping her.

When the ground under her feet groaned and shifted, the story of her mother’s fight against Wan Shi Tong’s library flitted through her mind. The impossible choice she had to make between saving her human friends or Appa.

Tenzin and Kya were inside; she had to let them get out.

The figure laughed.

“Make your choice, Beifong! Those losers inside or me.” They laughed again and shook the ground under Lin’s feet, making the building jolt and sink further.