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Kyoshi let out a shaky breath. Today, her meditation gave her no comfort. She focused on healing her anguished mind and body by compartmentalizing it into small chunks like her old spiritual teacher Lao Ge had taught her, but she felt no reprieve this time.
She looked down from her vantage point, the tallest point of the Southern Air Temple. The lives she had taken in the last 10 years are starting to permeate her dreams, transforming them into nightmares. Even though she saw killing people like Xu, a morally depraved, former leader of the Yellow Necks, as a necessary evil, sometimes the correct course of action was a lot harder to determine. It was particularly aggravating when an even worse evil takes place of the one she dispatches.
She opened up one of her golden war fans and used it for something she rarely did: fanning herself. That was more of a formality than anything. The breeze from the fans were hardly noticeable given the intensity of the winds so high up on in the temples, but it gave her something mindless to do as she reflected. She seemed to make an equal number of supporters as enemies wherever she went.
Even though the world was enjoying an unprecedented amount of peace and prosperity in the recent years, largely thanks to Kyoshi’s decisive actions when dealing with criminals or corrupt politicians—who were all same people in her book—there are many people intent on making an enemy out of her. While it’s true that Kyoshi’s actions and methods can hardly be described as benevolent at times, the circulating rumors flagrantly embellish her actions without even the decent consideration of including the proper context. Out of misconstrued fear, the people label her as a soul-stealer, or worse, the anti-Avatar.
Kyoshi sighed. She was used to being spit on and ignored for most of her life, so why was other people’s utter disapproval weighing so heavily on her now? She had committed whole-heartedly to this lifestyle, vowing to make a difference, especially for people whose voice was too quiet to be heard above the din. She knew what was at stake, what she would have to give up on her path as the Avatar.
To do her job effectively, Kyoshi has had to detach herself from the people she swore to protect. Sure, she could fraternize and chat once in a while. But building any kind of meaningful relationship takes time, and given how much she travels, she is never in one place long enough to accomplish anything personal. It also makes it easier to leave when there is nothing tying her down to any one location. Not to mention that not very many people are willing to approach someone for a quick conversation when they look like they can lift a mountain and actually have.
Grabbing her other fan and snapping it open, Kyoshi stretched her arms on both sides of her and flapped once, like a bird, which shot her hundreds of feet into the air and nearly bounced her brain around inside her skull. Upon reaching the apex of her travel, the Avatar leveled out and dived toward a path meandering through the temple about half a mile away. For a moment, Kyoshi forgot all her troubles as she raced to the ground, heart pounding. Before hurling into the rocky path, she caught herself in an air vortex and gently lowered to herself to the ground, trying to avoid disturbing the peace further.
“Holy chakras! You certainly know how to announce your arrival, Kyoshi. You just love a good flair, don’t you? How was business in Ba Sing Se?” A young monk exclaimed out of a nearby window.
Kyoshi bowed to him. “Morning, Rohan. I mitigated another uprising, what else?”
The monk winked. “Well I hope you worked hard, because there’s a surprise for you in the kitchen.”
“There had better be enough food to feed an army because I’m feeling ravenous.” Kyoshi said.
“Ah, there is no one here who can clean out a kitchen quite like you, Avatar Kyoshi. But not to worry, I’m sure you will be pleased.” Kyoshi almost missed his sly smile as he bowed in farewell.
She made her way to the kitchen, feeling a sudden pang of loneliness being back here in the air temples. Being part of such a loving community always reminds her of what she misses out on when she is out in the world conducting her Avatar duties. Her mind flashed to Rangi momentarily, but she quickly pushed the thought away before her brain could send her spiraling down a depressive path. It took too long to re-center herself after what had happened.
In the kitchens, the Avatar was greeted by awed glances from the young air nation monks and quiet respect from the elders. The air folk seem to be the most understanding of all nations, capable of appreciating the complexity of the choices she has to make on a regular basis. For their consideration, she will always be grateful.
Gya, a thin, energetic woman waved at her from the other side of the kitchen, “Morning, Avatar Kyoshi! Hope you brought your infamous appetite. Help yourself to as much as you’d like.” She gestured over to the pots and plates flooding the counters with delicious vegetarian dishes.
Nodding her thanks, Kyoshi wandered over and piled up some dumplings and walked over to the nearest balcony. She sat on the railing, legs dangling over the precipitous edge. After a few bites, she heard footsteps behind her. She scowled slightly. She wasn’t ready for company quite yet; her mind was too turbulent. She felt a hand on her shoulder. The touch felt…familiar.
“Enjoying your pity party?”
Kyoshi nearly choked. Rangi caught her dish of dumplings before it careened towards the ground far below. She grabbed Kyoshi’s arm and spun her around, putting them face to face, mere inches of air separating their faces. Kyoshi’s eyes scanned over Rangi’s face, as if confirming that all the pieces were there, confirming that it was indeed her.
The firebender placed a warm hand on Kyoshi’s cheek. Her golden eyes looked more intense than ever before.
Kyoshi remained unmoving. “How…when…” she began hesitantly, but then finished by simply saying, “I…I didn’t thing you would ever wake up.”
Rangi removed her hand and walked over to the other side of the balcony and stood there for a while before speaking. “You thought a little year-long coma was going to stop me?” She chuckled dryly.
“Just a year?” Kyoshi said dumbly before continuing. “Where have you been for the last 4 years then? Have you tried to reach out…or anything?”
The firebender took a deep breath before continuing. “I stayed in the same place most of that time. In the fire nation infirmary where you left me.”
“You left me.” She repeated after a while.
The accusation nearly tore Kyoshi’s heart in two. There was so much to say. Kyoshi didn’t know where to begin. “Rangi, I…I’m sorry. I visited you for 8 months. Seeing you lifeless like that, watching your body waste away…it was the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to endure. I was told to leave you and move on. Your prognosis was not good. No one thought you would wake up.” Her voice was barely a whisper by the time she finished.
A flying bison growled in the distance.
“You know I was aware of everything?” Rangi suddenly said, finally turning to look at Kyoshi. “I lay there for a year, unable to move, to speak, or even open my eyes. The only thing I could do was listen. Take in information. Listen as everyone talked about me as if I were a vegetable. I’m surprised they didn’t bury me alive. I suppose I should be grateful for that.”
Kyoshi looked at Rangi in horror. What her friend went through Kyoshi wouldn’t wish upon her greatest enemy. A whole year of being immobile. Interacting with the world through a one-way pane of glass, where no one even knew you were on the other side. Everyone thinking you’d be better off dead.
Wanting to die.
Rangi’s voice was trembling now. She turned away. “I remember you would visit me. You would hold my hand. And you would cry. Every time. Begging me to move, to give you any sign that I was still alive. That I still existed under that husk of skin.” She let out a painful sob. “And I tried, Kyoshi. I tried so hard. I focused my entire effort into moving one finger. Just one. But I couldn’t even twitch an eyelid. I listened as you slowly drove yourself mad with worry.” She wiped her tears angrily. Angry at herself.
“And then one day, you stopped showing up. I understand it was difficult for you to see me like that.” Rangi let out a shaky laugh. “Believe me, I wasn’t too thrilled with myself either. But you were my anchor, Kyoshi. You were the reason I wanted to continue living.” Another strained laugh. “Well, that, plus Fire Nation steak.”
The Avatar’s jaw was clenched near the point of breaking teeth. Her hands were trembling.
“I hit a low point after you left, Kyoshi. Turns out there is something below rock bottom. I wanted it all to end. Of course, I couldn’t exactly act on it. I couldn’t even force myself to stop breathing. Even after I woke up 4 months later, I was so weak, so tired. As helpless as a newborn. I had to relearn almost everything.” She clenched the railing so hard that her knuckles turned white. “So that is what I was doing the last 4 years. Rebuilding my strength and my spirit.” She ran a hand down the back of her neck, exhausted even thinking about it. “I didn’t reach out to you because….well, because I wanted to be the same as you remembered me to be. I couldn’t just show up in a wheelchair and take your pity. You know, fire nation honor code and all that.”
Kyoshi wanted to tell her to screw honor. That she fell in love with the complex, imperfect person before her and not the ideal model the Fire Nation wanted her to be. She wanted to tell her about the heart ache she feels for not being able to be with Rangi every step of the way in her journey to recovery. Or about how empty she had been all these years without the joy Rangi brought to her life. But these words were all too complicated to voice right now.
“I’ve missed you so much.” Kyoshi collapsed onto the floor of the balcony as convulsing sobs racked her body. So much emotion that has been repressed over the years was now coming to the surface, weakening her physically to the point where she could barely stand. “I’m sorry I gave up on you.”
Rangi knelt down in front of her, still holding the plate of dumplings she rescued from certain doom. She tilted the Avatar’s chin slightly upwards, softly brushing a thumb over Kyoshi’s lips. Then she wiped away the tears already mixing with the white paint of her makeup. The firebender brought her face close, lips just barely ghosting Kyoshi’s. “You have nothing to be sorry about.” She whispered.
“Girls! Are you alright over there?” Gya’s voice could be heard from the kitchens. “I’d like my plate back soon. We have a full house today.”
Hardly moving more than she had to, and with the precision only she could muster, Rangi snapped her wrist, sending the plate of dumplings out of the balcony, sliding down the hall and stopping neatly in the kitchen. Her lips hadn’t moved a hair’s breadth from Kyoshi’s.
“I hope you were finished with that.” Rangi gave a devilish smirk.
“Not at all. I’m still ravenous.”
***
“Hey! Come back!” Rangi’s voice was quickly falling out of earshot as Kyoshi threw herself over the railing and propelled herself with fire jets away from the balcony, laughing. The sound was foreign to Kyoshi’s ears. It has been awhile since she has contoured her face into a joyous expression. Wiping the tears that were still in her eyes, she marveled at how light her heart felt already having Rangi back for only a few minutes. A glance backwards revealed that Rangi was gaining on her in a likewise manner. Kyoshi turned sharply around a corner and landed on the ground. She took off towards a temple in the distance, heart pounding with excitement. Soon she was climbing the stairs of one of the temples that led her to a cozy room. She shut the door quickly, panting.
Turning around, Kyoshi saw that Rangi had beaten her to the punch. She was already sitting in the window, swinging her leg and yawning in mock boredom. “Took you long enough. I was about to enter another coma.”
Kyoshi snorted, not expecting Rangi to be so quick to joke about the darkest years of her life. “I was merely testing your patience is all.”
The firebender gave her an endearing smile that took Kyoshi’s breath away. She has never seen anyone more beautiful and formidable. Rangi gestured around with her hands. “Now, where did you bring me exactly? Because I like what you’re implying.”
The Avatar took a few steps closer to her, heart pounding. “This is the guest room, of course. It’s one of the many places I stay at between errands.”
Rangi descended from the window, landing as silently as a cat-deer unto the floor. Within a few strides, she was across the room standing right in front of Kyoshi. She draped her arms over the Avatar’s shoulders and looked up at her, head tilted analytically. “You seem…taller than I remember.”
Kyoshi grabbed Rangi’s hips and pulled her close. “And you somehow seem even more beautiful.”
“Very smooth.” Rangi mumbled, barely intelligible as her lips inched closer.
A knock sounded on the door.
Rangi snorted smoke out of her nostrils in exasperation. “I’ll get it.” She hesitantly slid her arms from Kyoshi’s shoulders and walked over to the door.
In the heat of the moment, Kyoshi almost forgot about her full face of makeup. Walking over to the nightstand, she pulled off all the clay-based powder from her face in one fluid motion with her bending and deposited it into the glass bowl sitting there. It has taken a good number of years for Kyoshi to develop her bending precision enough to remove her makeup to an acceptable level. But she still typically has problems sensing such fine earth particles.
The young monk Rohan greeted them in the open doorway. “Master Rangi,” he said, bowing, “are we accommodating your needs?”
Bowing back, Rangi muttered under her breath, “Not right now you’re not.” Kyoshi almost fell on her face.
“Sorry?”
“Everything is perfect. Thank you.” Rangi amended.
Rohan turned to Kyoshi, smiling. “I see you have found your surprise. Master Rangi has been here for a few weeks awaiting your return.”
And now she’s waiting for you to leave. Kyoshi thought. “Thank you for your concern and hospitality. This is undoubtedly the best surprised I’ve ever received.” She bowed, surprised at her own impatience.
With a knowing wink, the monk turned around and left.
Rangi shut the door, eyebrows raised. “Did you see that guy?” She asked. “I swear he wanted in. Or at least wanted to watch.”
Watch what, exactly? Kyoshi wondered, slightly nervous at the implication. “The air nation finds pleasure in the little things.” Kyoshi said, vaguely gesturing around the room. “They seem to be the only people who understand my precarious position and the weight of the choices I have to make. This place feels as close to home as I’ve been able to get.” She fixated her eyes on Rangi’s. “Even more so now.”
Kyoshi closed the distance between them faster than she thought was possible, and she slammed Rangi into the door she just shut. The firebender let out a sharp grunt as the wind was knocked out of her. Then she yanked Kyoshi closer still. Kyoshi paused. It took all the cosmic energy in universe for Kyoshi to restrain herself from indulging in Rangi’s lips.
Rangi clicked her tongue and creased her face with an inquisitive expression. “I’m sorry. Are you trying to get through the door here or what? Am I in the way? Or are you waiting for the guy to come back?”
“Hush now. I’m savoring the moment.”
“If you savor any longer, I will have counted all of your adorable freckles.”
Once her restraint wore out, Kyoshi inched closer, gently pressing her lips against Rangi’s. Then she pressed deeper, slower. Rangi moaned, opening her lips for Kyoshi to explore again, to taste again, after so many years of being apart. Grabbing Kyoshi’s face with her hands, she peppered her with kisses, on her nose, on her lips…on her neck. Rangi knows that sucking on the sensitive skin there always makes Kyoshi squirm, and she wasted no time in exploiting that weakness. The heat between Kyoshi’s legs was already becoming too much to bear. She had forgotten that the human body was capable of feeling this way.
The Avatar kissed Rangi with such fervor that she almost didn’t realize she was causing the room to shake. Kyoshi reigned in her bending. They were among civilization now, not out in the canyons like on one of their previous excursions.
At some point, all their clothes had come off, much to Kyoshi’s delight. She hated meaningless obstacles.
The Avatar ran her hands down Rangi’s rippling abdominal muscles before grabbing the backs of her legs and hoisting the firebender up against the door so that Rangi’s head was now even higher than Kyoshi’s. Thank Yangchen her guest room has tall ceilings. Kyoshi stuck out her own knee and pushed it up against the door, her upper leg now more-or-less parallel with the floor. She lowered Rangi onto it, now fully understanding just how turned on the firebender was. Rangi bit her lower lip in ecstasy, grateful for the newfound friction. Kyoshi attacked Rangi’s breasts. Sucking on her vulnerable nipples made Rangi groan like she was the only person living in the temples. With considerable force, Rangi threw her head back against the door, eyes glazed over. The rocking against Kyoshi’s leg quickly picked up speed.
Kyoshi could not fully believe this was happening. Surely this was all a dream from which she was going to wake up any minute now and relive losing Rangi all over again. Everything was happening too quickly, too unexpectedly. It had all the makings of a dream. Except for the small fact that the she doesn’t quite dream anymore. The visions invading her mind at night are usually of a nightmarish nature, not just faces of the fallen, but also of strange premonitions that are both terrifying and realistic enough that they somehow serve to prepare her for future conflicts.
But if this was a dream, why not enjoy it? Certainly a decade of selfless service as the peacekeeper of the world deserved a little respite.
And right now, respite was the last thing that Kyoshi had in mind for Rangi. There were so many things she wanted to do to the firebender, so many ways to torture her. In this moment, however, the only thing the Avatar wanted to do was kiss the girl pinned to the door. Kyoshi reluctantly pulled her lips away from some skin tissue she was terrorizing on Rangi’s neck and instead brought their mouths together.
The firebender kissed her slowly, deeply, every kiss lasting eons. She pulled back Kyoshi’s lower lip with her teeth and let it snap back. The Avatar inhaled sharply as goosebumps traveled up her spine. Rangi was barely moving on Kyoshi’s thigh now; she had slowed down to nearly a standstill to revel in the kiss filled with the intense passionate that has eluded both of them for so long. The world has been cold, callous and cruel, and this brief moment of sunlight may be its cruelest trick yet, a mere hint of what they’ve been missing before it gets snuffed out again.
Wrapping her arms around Kyoshi’s neck, and somehow sensing the negative energy spiraling within the Avatar’s mind, the Fire Nation girl mumbled against her lips, “You think too much.” She playfully twirled and pulled on the taller girl’s hair.
Kyoshi couldn’t help but let a sly grin split her features. “Where’s the fire? Got somewhere to be?”
The firebender rolled her eyes at the terrible pun. “Don’t make me strike you with lightning.”
The Avatar wasted no more time talking. She slammed her hands against both sides of the door frame on either side of Rangi and continued sucking any piece of exposed skin she could find. The firebender moaned softly and continued moving against Kyoshi’s leg. Their lips crashed together again, that simple motion somehow erasing the pain of the past, allowing new feelings to take shape, feelings that were so pure and unhindered that they almost felt illegal, like they would cause permanent damage if left untethered for too long.
Luckily, being exposed to elements that could bring about permanent damage has been Kyoshi’s entire livelihood, so this certainly wasn’t about to discourage her now. She grabbed Rangi’s waist and lifted her even higher into the air. Before her partner could protest the interruption, Kyoshi draped Rangi’s legs over her shoulders and burrowed her face between them.
At this height, Rangi’s head was definitely pushing off against the ceiling. Gasping, she slammed her hands against the ceiling as well, glad to have the surface to push off against. If Rangi punches a hole in this wall, Kyoshi wouldn’t be surprised. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Kyoshi had no idea how she survived so long without this. Weeks without food didn’t come close to recreating the depth of hunger she felt this very moment. No amount of sleep could make her feel as restless as she was now. This was raw, uncaged passion. Grand. Simple. Beautiful.
The force with which the firebender pushed almost toppled Kyoshi to the ground. Kyoshi took a step back with one of her legs to stabilize herself better against Rangi’s squirming. It was like wrestling with a shark squid. And she would know. It may even be equally as dangerous. If she wanted to, Rangi could easily snap her neck with her powerful legs, and for some reason, that possibility added a measure of thrill for Kyoshi. She could not get enough.
Kyoshi’s tongue moved by muscle memory. She knew exactly where to lick to elicit whichever reaction she pleased from the beautiful firebender before her. Alternating between flat and pointed tongue, nibbling and grazing, licking and sucking, Kyoshi knew Rangi was approaching her climax quickly. She was torn between wanting to drag this moment out as long as possible and wanting to give Rangi the sweet release she so desperately deserved.
It’s a good thing that years of being the Avatar taught her to think on her feet, quite literally in this case.
Deciding that her hands have been idle enough, Kyoshi started to move them from where they had been wrapped around Rangi’s thighs. With excruciating slowness, she ran her hands up Rangi’s body and towards her breasts, reveling in the glimmering layer of sweat that now covered the firebender’s body. Kyoshi massaged her firm breasts, paying special care to toy with both nipples excessively. Rangi arched her back further as her breathing shallowed. Kyoshi closed her own eyes in bliss and moaned into Rangi, the vibrations making her partner shudder uncontrollably.
Every single time in the past whenever she and Rangi would spend their nights together like this, it baffled Kyoshi how such a selfless act could make her feel so selfish. She would give and give and give and it never felt like enough. She wanted to do more, to feel more, to give more. It was such a conflicting emotion. And it was especially true now. Her senses were being flooded from all directions. No other feeling compared.
Rangi’s chest was expanding and contracting at a dizzying rate. Her body was tensed like a spring, the definition of her muscles even more stark in reflecting light of the setting sun. It was inevitable now. Kyoshi braced herself for the kick by adjusting her stance to better anchor herself. One final pass of her tongue unraveled Rangi completely. Digging her heels into Kyoshi’s back and pushing off fiercely against wall she was propped up against, the firebender let out a scream that would make even the most hardened Fire Nation general blush. Rangi flexed her muscles in a breathtaking display of strength and grandeur as the waves of release swept over her.
Kyoshi was determined to ride that wave as long as possible. She slowed her tempo and kissed deeply between Rangi’s legs, adding extremely light suction. The tremors continued to progress up and down the firebender’s body, and Kyoshi couldn’t help but feel smug and oddly proud that she could still affect Rangi this way, even after years of being apart. It didn’t seem like a reunion. It seemed like a continuation of their journey. As if it had always been this way. Her lips curved into a smile against Rangi’s body, which Rangi definitely would’ve felt if she wasn’t otherwise occupied.
But even the highest tides come to an end. Once Rangi’s convulsions settled down and her breathing rate dropped to safe levels, she took a look around at her surroundings. Smiling, she looked down at Kyoshi. “How did I get up here?” She asked.
“The bigger miracle is how you managed to stay up there. You’ve been trying to knock me down since the moment I hoisted you up there.”
Rangi cast her a dubious glance. Grabbing the narrow ledge of the door frame behind her, she used it to leverage herself as she slipped her legs off of Kyoshi’s shoulders and roughly kicked Kyoshi, sending her tumbling backwards unto the bed on the other side of the room.
Before the Avatar could register what had happened, Rangi was already on top of her, straddling her hips. She smirked. “If I had been trying to knock you down, you’d know it. If you must know, I was actually trying to hold back. I’m trying out this new thing where I’m trying to give you fewer bloody noses.”
Grinning, Kyoshi said, “And here I thought people were too stubborn to change.”
Rangi leaned down to gently kiss Kyoshi, tasting herself on the Avatar’s lips. “The things I do for you, Kyoshi,” she breathed. She immediately targeted Kyoshi neck and chest, ensuring that no patch of skin was left unmarked by her lips.
So this is what it feels like. The Avatar was surprised she could even form a cohesive thought right now. Every pass of Rangi’s lips was a brand. Every kiss was a promise that she would do everything in her power to make Kyoshi feel loved and safe and, more importantly, not alone. Once again, she found herself marveling at how she let herself forget these sensations exist. How could something so earthly feel so spiritual?
Kyoshi inhaled sharply through her teeth at Rangi’s touch, as more and more surface area of her skin was imprinted on.
Suddenly, Rangi skillfully flipped Kyoshi onto her stomach and mounted her lower back. The firebender ran her hands up the Avatar’s spine, finding a whole new set of nerves there. Then she leaned down, taking an ear between her teeth and desperately breathed, “You’re absolutely stunning.” She kissed the side of Kyoshi’s neck and moved down to conquer new, uncharted territories.
“Spirits…” Kyoshi gasped. The skin on her back was incredibly sensitive, and the way Rangi’s lips were moving was setting it on fire. The firebender focused her efforts on Kyoshi’s shoulders for a while. Then, she leisurely made way down the Avatar’s spine to her lower back, running the tip of her nose teasingly across it. Kyoshi’s hands couldn’t grip the sheets hard enough. She gasped as hot steam enveloped the small of her back, shortly before Rangi’s lips made contact again, sucking hard. Kyoshi’s vision clouded over momentarily.
The firebender slid her hands to the front of Kyoshi’s hips and pulled her up so that the Avatar was now kneeling on her hands and knees.
“What are y—ohh…” Kyoshi couldn’t finish her train of thought. Rangi’s hand had wrapped around to the front of Kyoshi’s hips and starting massaging the desperate space between her legs. Her other hand had moved up to toy with her chest. The crown jewel of this beautiful masterpiece was the feeling of Rangi’s soft breasts against her lower back—the firebender was pressed up against Kyoshi as much as she physically could, her arms folded around the Avatar, holding her close. Being wrapped so tightly together, it was difficult for Kyoshi to tell where her body ended and Rangi’s began. The only thing she knew for certain in that moment was the searing trail that Rangi’s lips left behind on Kyoshi’s back.
With a pointed tongue, Rangi moved her way up the Avatar’s spine, as a volley of goosebumps sprung up in its wake. Kyoshi swore she felt Rangi smile against her skin, much like she had done to Rangi not too long ago. In no other context can an unseen smile be so intoxicating. Without warning, the firebender bit into the muscle below Kyoshi’s shoulder blades. At the same time, she wrapped her arms around Kyoshi even tighter, pinching her nipples even more fervently.
Kyoshi snarled. She was incapable of expressing the bliss she felt in that moment any other way. For an instant, her eyes glowed from the surprise and intensity of her emotions. The tendons in her arms turned to water tribe noodles, and she collapsed onto the bed.
Rangi made it very clear she wasn’t done with her yet. Grabbing the girl’s waist, Rangi jerked her back up with possibly a bit more power than she intended to. The resulting momentum caused Kyoshi to rotate too far back and careen into the body behind her, pinning Rangi between her and wall. Rangi let out a ragged moan that seemed to contradict the fact that she was almost crushed. Her response only served to turn on Kyoshi further, which she did not even think was possible. But then again, her entire life has been about achieving the impossible, so what’s one more to the list?
Reaching behind her, Kyoshi took the firbender’s hands in her own and guided them to her thighs. She dragged those hands up her legs, slowly. Slowing even further, she pulled Rangi’s hands up along her abdomen, then up and over her breasts, gasping when she felt Rangi welcoming hands enclose them. She sensed impatience radiating out of the girl pinned behind her, impatience that she was leading her hands too fast and not fast enough at the same time.
“Sweet spirits, Kyoshi…” Rangi panted in her ear, “You sure know how to make a girl go crazy.”
Taking control now, Rangi pushed her hands down from Kyoshi breasts and down to the inside of her thighs. Kyoshi held on, somehow incapable of letting go. Not wanting to let go of the hands she had wanted to touch for so long.
The firebender pressed her hand between Kyoshi legs tenderly, leaving the Avatar shaking with anticipation. Then, circling around once, she slipped a finger in. Kyoshi’s head rammed into the wall behind her as a shuddering groan left her throat. Then Rangi pressed her thumb against the sensitive spot between Kyoshi’s legs, causing the Avatar to jump slightly as more and more of her nerve endings became activated. The firebender approached every task with unparalleled precision and dedication, and Kyoshi felt particularly grateful in this moment for these attributes of the other woman’s character.
In an impressive display of coordination, Rangi’s fingers maintained the necessary rhythm that quickly began to unravel Kyoshi. Meanwhile, Rangi’s other hand began wondering up to the front of Kyoshi’s neck, where she wrapped her hand around gently, her fingertips teasing the skin along her throat. In the same motion, Rangi planted a searing kiss behind the earthbender’s ear and dragged her teeth down her shoulders and back. An impressive display of coordination, indeed.
“I love you so much.” The Fire Nation warrior mumbled into her back, as she continued to nibble and kiss as much skin surface she could possibly manage. Kyoshi had a feeling she wasn’t supposed to hear this remark, which made it particularly evocative. They’ve confessed their love for one another before, many times. But after such a long hiatus, it would be naïve to assume that nothing has changed, that everything is in exactly the same place they last left it. While it sure seemed that way, Kyoshi preferred to take the cautious approach than risk assuming and ruining a good thing. Better to address the elephant-rhino in the room at a later time, when everyone was considerably calmer and not in the throes of passion.
Their breathing became synchronized. Nothing else existed outside of the bed they were abusing. Rangi began to rock her hips into her, encouraging Kyoshi into joining her cadence. If they were both waterbenders near a large body of water, the shore would be flooded by now from their joint motion.
How many simultaneous tasks can this woman do? Kyoshi wondered for the short duration her brain could form words.
Just then, Rangi pulled Kyoshi even closer. The Avatar could feel the hot streams of air pulsing down her sweaty back as Rangi exhaled, which served to cool her raised body temperature slightly. She could feel wisps of the jet black hair tickling her cheeks. Kyoshi moved her hand from where she had been gripping Rangi’s and moved it up to the firebender forearm instead. It felt much warmer than a forearm should be because of the exertion. With her palm, she could feel Rangi’s dense muscles contracting and relaxing, but never weakening.
After a messy kiss along her neck, Rangi released a guttural growl into Kyoshi’s ear, making the Avatar moan perhaps too loudly in response. Goosebumps traveled down her spine at lightening pace. She clenched Rangi forearm even tighter, knowing full well she wasn’t helping but not being able to get herself to care. This felt too good and too right to let any negative thoughts interfere right now.
The earthbender’s breathing became tattered. Her entire body was flexing and shuddering uncontrollably. Her movements were uncontrollable, yes, but undoubtedly guided and created by the glorious Fire Nation woman wrapped around her.
As she sensed Kyoshi approaching the precipice, Rangi sped up her movements slightly and moved her other hand from Kyoshi’s neck to pinch a hardened nipple instead. She licked the ridges of Kyoshi’s ear and latched onto an earlobe with her teeth, tugging gently. If the Avatar thought all the other sensations were indescribable, what followed was even more so. She felt her consciousness leave her body for a split second before the world crashed down around her. Time seemed to take on a whole new meaning in this moment. Like in life-or-death situation, time stretched, allowing Kyoshi extra time to experience the storm on her senses. She could not process the storm, only let it crash over her as waves of ecstasy rolled over her body, originating and ending everywhere. The feeling extended below the surface of her skin. She could feel it in her bones.
The Avatar opened her mouth to liberate a scream but it got stuck in her throat. Her back was arched at maximum capacity. Everything was limiting her. She couldn’t release the intense energy into the world. Instead, it echoed and resonated around inside of her, amplifying even further until she could no longer breathe. Her entire body was pushing against Rangi, and Rangi was receiving her fully. Physically. Emotionally. Their bodies were joined together like a puzzle having only one solution. No other arrangement would work. No other could compare. Kyoshi kept climbing higher, and higher, and higher, until…
With one final shudder, all the tension Kyoshi was holding on to ebbed away, bringing with it a sense of clarity and peace and extreme love for the beautiful human being still pinned behind her. They leaned against each other for a while until their breathing slowed down to conversation levels. Kyoshi noticed that Rangi’s hands were now caressing the Avatar’s thighs, in a gesture that was somehow both loving and casual.
Feeling the warmth and fatigue spread through her body, Kyoshi hummed with satisfaction, causing Rangi to laugh unexpectedly. Such a beautiful sound.
“That’s all you have to say?” The firebender murmured happily into Kyoshi’s shoulder. “I almost lost a limb for you.”
The Avatar smiled tiredly and, grabbing the other girl’s exhausted forearm, began kissing it greedily and with an exaggerated show of gratitude.
Rangi giggled and withdrew her arm. “Stop it, you dork. You’re making me blush…”
The Avatar cranked her neck to look at her in disbelief, blinking rapidly. “That is what makes you embarrassed? Not the other acrobatics we performed?” She nudged the firebender playfully. “You really have changed.”
The other girl smirked. “Not as much as you! I don’t remember you getting tired out so easi—“
Kyoshi licked Rangi’s face to stop her from talking. “Hey, we’re not spring possum-chickens anymore!”
“I don’t think we ever were really.”
They pressed their heads together and laughed. Kyoshi wondered how different their lives would’ve been had they not been separated all those fateful years ago. Or if Rangi had come back sooner. She closed her eyes and fought the swell of tears and exhausting threatening to break through.
Rangi wrapped her arms around the earthbender’s stomach and rested her chin on her shoulder. “Hey, Kyoshi?”
“Hmm?”
“I am so…so sorry.” Rangi’s voice cracked at the end.
Kyoshi knew exactly what she was apologizing for. She was apologizing for staying away as long as she did, for falling off the face of the earth without reaching out even once.
The Avatar sighed. “I understand why you did what you did. It hurts me…greatly. But I am just so happy to have you back. Here. With me. Honestly, it feels like…like a gift.”
The firebender’s arms tightened their grip.
“And even more honestly, you should be furious with me for not checking in on you all these years either. I just couldn’t. I couldn’t. I tho—I thought that someone from the infirmary would reach out to me with any changes regarding your condition. But I heard nothing from them. I simply assumed no news was no news, you know?”
There was silence for a moment before Rangi spoke. “It was at my request that they didn’t send word.”
Silence. Kyoshi slowly opened her eyes. The news didn’t surprise her, but it was a shock to hear those words spoken nevertheless.
“I made them lie to the Avatar by omission. I am ashamed, but I do not regret what I did.”
Another long measure of silence passed. The arms Rangi had wrapped around Kyoshi’s torso began to tremble. Kyoshi placed her arms over Rangi’s and squeezed reassuringly.
“Kyoshi,” the firebender continued, “I love you so much it hurts.”
The Avatar’s stomach flipped with excitement at her words. She rotated her body completely and straddled the firebender, who was still sitting pressed up against the wall. She gazed into those smoldering golden eyes and said, “And I love you more than Koh the Face Stealer loves stealing faces.”
Rangi’s lips twitched as she theatrically rolled her eyes. “That’s quite the implication. I mean, he really loves those faces.” Her voice dropped to a husky pitch at really.
“I am absolutely that committed.” The Avatar bobbed her head with conviction. Her voice took on a more serious tone. “I love you. And have never stopped loving you.”
The smile on Rangi’s face reached her eyes. Positively radiant.
The Fire Nation girl pushed the momentarily-stunned Kyoshi off of her, sending her sprawling to the other side of the bed. Rangi crawled up the bed and curled up against her, mumbling, “I will grill you on this matter tomorrow morning. Your possum-chicken comment was right on the money.”
Kyoshi kissed the top of Rangi’s head as she pulled the blanket up over them, which had fallen onto the floor during their tussle.
If this was a dream, Kyoshi never wanted to wake up. “I will be right here.”