[For the past few nights, Korra's been woken up by nightmares. This isn't unusual; she still has nightmares about Amon at least a few times a month.
But these aren't her nightmares. They're Aang's. Memories from his childhood, when Prince Zuko was trying to capture him. She'd always known that the old Fire Lord and the Avatar had been enemies, but Master Katara had never gone into detail about it. Seeing Aang's memories of it was horrifying.
She's curled up in the kitchen, nursing a cup of hot chocolate and resting her head on her knees.]
What are you trying to tell me, Aang? Or do you just not want me to sleep?
[It's still dark when Jinora wakes up. She isn't sure what woke her; she can't remember any dreams and everything in the room is quiet. Something isn't quite right, though...
The girl heads for the kitchen to get a drink on silent feet, stopping in her tracks when she hears Korra. Jinora peers into the kitchen.]
[She hasn't been given any respite from nightmares since Aang intervened during the curse. The variety is almost impressive; the City has given her plenty of fuel over the past 10 months.
She wakes up with a choked scream. The nightmare flees to the recesses of her mind, leaving only scattered remnants of images -- hands on her body, a pair of fangs, the slice of a knife and a bone-chilling cold. She pulls her blanket tightly around her, shivering even in the warmth of her room. Trying to muster up the courage to leave her bed and sneak out to see Naga. The polar bear dog's presence doesn't keep the nightmares at bay, but her warmth at least staves off their chill.
Focus on your breathing. In. Out. In. Out. She inhales, exhales, counting each breath and hoping she didn't wake anyone with her scream.]
[The little girl isn't Naga, but she's nearly as warm. Korra wraps her arms around Jinora and rests her chin on the top of her head.
Do you want to talk about it? Yes. No. She doesn't know.]
I honestly don't remember that much about it. It's just fragments of images and feeling cold. [The cold of being City dead, though Korra will never tell Jinora that. She doesn't want to talk about those few weeks she spent as a walking corpse. It's too painful and brings up too many frightening questions that she would rather not think about.] I'm sorry I woke you.
Do you remember any of the fragments, or why you were cold? [She sighs in response to Korra's apology.] It's okay. I'd rather be awake than finding out you're having bad dreams alone.
[ You can cut the tension in this house with a knife. Lin can feel it in the ball of her foot, the thickness of the silence.
At first, she was enjoying the quiet, let's be honest. But now she thinks that something needs to be done. She refuses to tiptoe around whatever kind of silly disagreement the children have had. ]
[ So she knocks on Jinora's door, and speaks through the wood. ] Can I speak with you?
[text message sent to Jinora early Monday morning from Hei's device. (Of course Korra doesn't realize that it will look like the message is coming from Li.)]
Hey Jinora, I had to stay out to help a friend. I'll be home in time for our training this afternoon. Hope you had fun with your friend last night.
[ Bleary-eyed and half-asleep, Hei stares at his device from its hiding place under the pillows. Fishing it out on a stifled yawn, he's confronted with Jinora's device-code. He's confused for precisely two seconds before the realization hits. ]
[ She'll be greeted to the sight of a rumple-haired and sleepy Li. Sitting up, he scratches an absent hand through his hair, repressing a twinge of irritation. It's too late at night -- early in the morning? -- to be dealing with this. ]
No. That was Korra. [ Should he make an excuse? Lie? Tell the truth? Eventually, he decides -- Fuck it. Let the kid draw her own conclusions. Clearing his throat, he offers a sheepish smile, ] She, um, borrowed my device.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bookbending) wrote2020-06-26 01:54 am
❊ 12/11, late at night
But these aren't her nightmares. They're Aang's. Memories from his childhood, when Prince Zuko was trying to capture him. She'd always known that the old Fire Lord and the Avatar had been enemies, but Master Katara had never gone into detail about it. Seeing Aang's memories of it was horrifying.
She's curled up in the kitchen, nursing a cup of hot chocolate and resting her head on her knees.]
What are you trying to tell me, Aang? Or do you just not want me to sleep?
❊ 12/11, late at night
The girl heads for the kitchen to get a drink on silent feet, stopping in her tracks when she hears Korra. Jinora peers into the kitchen.]
Korra? What're you doing?
❊ 12/11, late at night
[She tries to put on a reassuring smile; she doesn't want to worry the younger girl.]
❊ 12/11, late at night
[Korra is so bad at hiding things. Jinora sits with her, worried in spite of any efforts to dissuade worry.]
You didn't answer my question, either.
❊ 12/11, late at night
Just had a bad dream. Figured I'd get some cocoa to chase it off. Want any?
❊ 12/11, late at night
[She makes herself comfortable and looks more than ready to listen.]
Do you want to talk about the dream?
❊ 12/11, late at night
It was a memory from Aang's childhood. When Firelord Zuko was trying to capture him.
[She doesn't feel right, going into more details than that. Some of the dreams were pretty graphic.]
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❊ tuesday night
She wakes up with a choked scream. The nightmare flees to the recesses of her mind, leaving only scattered remnants of images -- hands on her body, a pair of fangs, the slice of a knife and a bone-chilling cold. She pulls her blanket tightly around her, shivering even in the warmth of her room. Trying to muster up the courage to leave her bed and sneak out to see Naga. The polar bear dog's presence doesn't keep the nightmares at bay, but her warmth at least staves off their chill.
Focus on your breathing. In. Out. In. Out. She inhales, exhales, counting each breath and hoping she didn't wake anyone with her scream.]
❊ tuesday night
Korra? Did you have another dream?
❊ tuesday night
Yeah. It's fine, though. Just a bad dream.
❊ tuesday night
Must've been some dream. [She hesitates.] Do you want to talk about it?
❊ tuesday night
Do you want to talk about it? Yes. No. She doesn't know.]
I honestly don't remember that much about it. It's just fragments of images and feeling cold. [The cold of being City dead, though Korra will never tell Jinora that. She doesn't want to talk about those few weeks she spent as a walking corpse. It's too painful and brings up too many frightening questions that she would rather not think about.] I'm sorry I woke you.
❊ tuesday night
Do you remember any of the fragments, or why you were cold? [She sighs in response to Korra's apology.] It's okay. I'd rather be awake than finding out you're having bad dreams alone.
❊ tuesday night
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At first, she was enjoying the quiet, let's be honest. But now she thinks that something needs to be done. She refuses to tiptoe around whatever kind of silly disagreement the children have had. ]
[ So she knocks on Jinora's door, and speaks through the wood. ] Can I speak with you?
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Yes?
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[ Her body language and words are quite carefully neutral. She doesn't want to scare her off yet. ]
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[She steps back and lets the door squeak open. Her expression is very serious.]
Did something happen?
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[ Yep, now you're not getting rid of her. Lin sits down, though, in an out of the way corner. She's attempting not to be intimidating. ]
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Jinora sits on her bed, fairly at ease with the earthbender.]
Did Korra say something?
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text message - early morning 4/20
Hey Jinora,
I had to stay out to help a friend. I'll be home in time for our training this afternoon. Hope you had fun with your friend last night.
text message - early morning 4/20
Korra?
text message - laaaate at night 5/20
[ Well. ]
[ Shit. ]
[ Nice going, Korra. ]
...
you have the wrong number, Jinora.
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I didn't call.
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No. That was Korra. [ Should he make an excuse? Lie? Tell the truth? Eventually, he decides -- Fuck it. Let the kid draw her own conclusions. Clearing his throat, he offers a sheepish smile, ] She, um, borrowed my device.
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Are you two sleeping together?
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