#klunk fic

Most of the time, living above the Little Water Tribe market was terrible. It always smelled like fish, haggard old tradesmen guffawed under his window at unspeakably early hours, and there was no excuse to give his mom for forgetting the blubbered seal jerky when the vendor was just across the street. But on certain days, when the breeze off Yue Bay blew away the unsavory smell and the sky was clear, Lance loved to hang over his apartment balcony people watching. There was no better place to absorb the Water Tribe bustle he had so sorely missed after his parents moved them out of the Southern capitol. 

That day was one of those perfect days. The breeze pulled at the fold of his tunic, promising an exciting day; the sun was just warm enough to kiss his shoulders but not enough to make the woven band that wrapped around his upper arm itchy and uncomfortable, like it did in the dead of summer. 

More importantly Lance had a great view of the sea prune stand, where the ancient owner, willingly called ‘Old Man Noanok’ by the neighborhood, was directing Hunk to unload the big earthen crates of sea prunes. Water Tribe father, Earth Kingdom mother, earthbender by chance, Hunk was something of a celebrity around the Little Water Tribe. Everyone’s mom loved him, because he put away five flavor soup like a pro; everyone at the docks loved him, because he could do the manual labor waterbending was no help with. 

Lance would call out and say hello in a minute, but for the time being he sat back and appreciated the view. Even though Lance was sure the guy could lift a whole trolley if he tried, Hunk was concentrating carefully on bending each crate, his jaw set and fists clamped shut. His arms, tan and glistening in the sun, practically burst from his tunic. When he set down an empty crate he leaned back, pulling at the fold of his green tunic to fan himself and dragging one of those gorgeous arms across his forehead. Truly, Lance thought, a sight to behold. 

Just as it crossed his mind, another player entered the scene. Tall-ish, lean but muscled. Slick black hair, finer that Hunk’s thick locks, pulled back into a bun. As far as Lance could make out from the balcony, handsome, sharp features. Fire Nation- odd, in this area, but Lance didn’t mind. Couldn’t mind, really, with that face.

An interesting development; he was approaching Hunk. There was some complicated looking handshake, then Hunk pulled the guy into a sweaty hug. They knew each other? Lance squinted, leaning further over the railing.

“What the spirits-”

It was Keith! Keith, the firebending brat Lance had totally, definitely (really) kicked the crap out of at the bending gym the other week, and the week before that at the earth soccer pitch, and the week before that at the noodle shop. The guy who had been his nemesis for months now- but Hunk was hugging him? And worse, Lance himself had just thought he was hot? That friend-stealing, firebending son of a-

“-Hunk!”