Jin Ho's Apartment; tag: Mizu

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The tightening of Mizu's grip on him only served to worsen Jin Ho's nightmare. If Sweeper had been living, the dog would have awakened him long before the dream got so terrifying — and with Mizu holding him tighter, body heat close, the dream took a rapid downturn.

The grinning corpse held him tighter as the vehicle burned around them. Jin Ho shoved away as much as possible but it wouldn't let go. The burning face was laughing at him...

He shoved Mizu away this time, hard. In his dream he was fighting to get out of the burning car. The next time he screamed, Jin Ho sat straight up, breathing hard. He'd awakened. Running shaking hands over his face, he threw off the covers. Why the heck was it so hot? And why hadn't Sweeper awakened him earlier? The dog never let him just stay asleep and be afraid like that... turning, he laid eyes on Mizu, and stared at him in an uncomprehending manner.

With a start, he remembered that Sweeper was dead. Letting out a heavy breath Jin Ho got up from the bed and headed for the bathroom, splashing cold water over his face. He didn't even have words to say to Mizu. Had the Waterbender not realized what was happening?

Or worse, he didn't care? Was content to let Jin Ho just lie there afraid? That seemed so... harsh, to the Metalbender. So uncaring. Surely that couldn't be what had happened.

[OOC: Again, sorry for the delay. But major congrats on the mod position! =D I hope you have a long and prosperous reign, lol]

[tag: Hangetsu]



Mugen's mother was a lot sharper than the firebender had thought. It was so astute. She hadn't even been told that Yuriko was a firebender… Had she? Maybe the 19-year-old let it slip somehow, without realizing it. It was such a disconcerting thought that she had to put it out of her mind before her heart started racing with anxiety.

Still, it made her blush when the mother said it. It was a compliment, but also said something about Mugan. Did that mean she wasn't actually… special? Obviously I'm not the sort of bender he'd want, she thought for what had to be the tenth time. Maybe he just picks any bender he sees… So in a way, the rouge of her cheeks was both of modesty and shame.

But then there was a suggestion. "I didn't know you sang…" Yuriko had to reply, her voice sly and, strangely out of character, teasing. She heard him moan and the tense sound of his grinding teeth — such like Daddy's — and smiled in spite of herself. Mugen wasn't exactly the singing type. Especially in his cold eyes, the seriousness of his demeanor just… didn't match. In her mind's eye, she imagined a silent hero of the storybooks, unable to speak. When he finally did open his mouth, all that came out was the most beautiful of music, rivaled only by colorful songbirds….

But that wasn't Mugen. Was he a hero? He seemed embarrassed, and Yuriko hadn't even heard him sing yet! But for some reason he began opening his past to her, just like they did in the books. "I was apprenticed to a troupe of actors when I was younger…" he began with a sigh, and the thought shocked her; though as he went on, it suddenly became much more logical. "I didn't want to become an actor, but I wanted to learn how a person could become someone else."

Wow. It was such an admission, that Yuriko was a bit speechless. Not only could she start to fit the pieces together (from his sudden shift from geniality to total cold calculation), but she realized she couldn't tell if he was speaking in the drawl of his mother or the polite tones of the Republic City accent. Perhaps it was the wine. Yuriko just nodded, not knowing how she could read so much into his words. And then he looked away as if ashamed, and explained to her that he had "went on to" other occupations. "I couldn't make money so I took on odd jobs to pay for school."

However, according to the brawl in the parking lot — another thing she didn't like reminding herself of — these "odd jobs" were much more shady and dangerous than they sounded. To be honest, they sounded like criminal activity. Yuriko didn't like it, but she knew it wasn't the time to bring it up. "Sorry, I don't remember if you told me this already, but what did you go to school for?" She guessed anthropology or maybe business.

Yuriko herself had never studied, and only went to her grammar school until she was twelve, when she was pulled out. She wondered if things would be different if she'd gone on to study something in college, fashion, maybe. But soon their bowls and cups were finished (for some reason the flush on her cheeks wasn't purely due to the shame of a few moments ago) and when Mrs. Yuan began cleaning up, Mugen leaned in as if sharing a secret. She refilled her cup with the rice wine and didn't know what number that was. The liquid had cooled to room temperature, but the firebender didn't mind.

"Apologies," he said quietly. And continuing, "I don't bring guests here… for obvious reasons."

But it wasn't obvious. Yuriko furrowed her brow in confusion, and automatically wondered if it had to do with her lacking abilities. As if he didn’t even like her or trust her enough — Her! the most passive and courteous firebender you could meet — to even open up. It was a weird hurt and went straight for her eyes. Still, she was able to keep up a mask through the alcohol veil and hid her feelings. "I…" she stuttered, finding it hard to express herself. "I don't understand. Am I doing something wrong again? I mean, I don't care. This has been really nice…"

A wild thought occurred to her that she'd seemed ungrateful. She tried to hastily reassure him, and her voice rose below its whisper. "I mean, you've done so much for me already that I don’t deserve. And you let me wear a beautiful dress and feed me delicious food and…" But she couldn't finish her stumbling sentence. Instead, when a wave of emotion struck her, she took two large mouthfuls of the wine, draining the cup with a rashness she never had. Her stomach felt hot and angry.

[TAG: Yuriko]



While Mugen loved his mother he didn't love that he felt utterly defenseless around her at times. Lies were his armor and he couldn't directly lie to his mother, all he could do was omit certain facts and use euphemisms for his more unsavory actions.
Normally it wasn't a problem, but normally there wasn't a third person around forcing himself to reconcile his roles as son and criminal.

When Yuriko asked about his education he felt a moment of pause. Most people preferred to ask about what he did to pay for said education.
"Bending economics and philosophy at first. Once I acquired more money I took more classes. The more classes I took the more I wanted to learn." Mugen paused to contemplate a moment. "Now that I think of it, it is something of an addiction. I don't like going a day without learning something. Classes are expensive even when I'm not doing...independent research such as today."

After Mugen apologized for subjecting Yuriko to being questioned in a warm basement and missing the meal he had promised her, she seemed hurt.
Criminals were so much easier to deal with than regular people.
"I promised a meal and a place to rest. Instead I have subjected you to a meal made from scraps in a basement and motherly interrogations." Mugen's bright blue eyes widened when he heard the sound of a shamisen being tuned. He couldn't imagine the horror that would be visited upon him if one of his enemies knew of his mother, not to mention the blow to his reputation should they find out he sang upon command.

Ziu stepped from behind the curtain holding a shamisen in her uninjured hand and Mugen knew that he had no choice. He had to sing. With closed eyes Mugen began after he heard the first chord his mother struck.
"Set my lines by the river bed
Caught ten fish and I killed 'em dead
Cut 'em and gut 'em and I tossed the heads
in the water to keep them catgators fed."

The way his mother flexed her wounded hand told Mugen that another song might be a trial. The way she fawned over guests made him wonder if he should encourage her to date...should there be a man worthy of her. Mugen doubted such a man existed.

Food, wine and music seemed to have taken it's toll. More than anything Mugen wanted to find a quiet place to read until he fell asleep. The fact that he could even think of relaxing with Yuriko around amazed him.
There weren't many people he felt comfortable with, and many of them relied upon a certain degree of extortion to give Mugen that much comfort. Why Yuriko was an exception mystified him.

Either Ziu was especially tired or she wanted to give Mugen and Yuriko a modicum of privacy but she soon vanished behind her curtain. Either seemed likely. She worked two jobs and knew to read the mood of a room.
Mugen stood up softly.
"Let's go for a walk. It isn't dark yet."

He wished he could see what Jin Ho was dreaming about. Obviously, it was something very, very bad, and he was convinced that the policeman was dreaming of the crash. What else could rile him up like that?

Apparently, holding the man closer for comfort was a crime punishable by getting shoved away, and Mizu's center of gravity jerked around erratically before extending his arms brought it back to where it was supposed to be. That punishment was nothing compared to the look that he got from the other man, though. It spoke of indignation and betrayal, as if the now dead dog should have been in the bed instead of Mizu. He felt like he'd committed a monstrous crime upon this reaction, and no words escaped his lips as Jin Ho left the room.

What the hell had just happened? Why had Jin Ho looked at him like that? The sensation and sound of running water through the bathroom stilled him slightly, but it did nothing to abate his confusion. It seemed like everything he'd done all night to help distract and comfort the other man had been for nothing; however, he felt a new emotion rising from the pit of his stomach: anger. What did Jin Ho want from him? Why was the other man getting upset over something that neither of them had control over? Yes, having nightmares was a horrible thing to live with, he could imagine, but really? Exhaling through his nose, he got out of bed and went down the hall to the bathroom, where Jin Ho was apparently spramping water on his face.

"What's going on? Why did you look at me like that?" He narrowed his eyes slightly at the Metalbender, focusing the intensity of his gaze so he could get his point across. He needed the other man to realize that it wasn't okay to get upset over something he hadn't said anything about.

Jin Ho's Apartment

tag: Mizu![/center]

The water felt good on his face. Thank goodness for small things! Jin Ho sighed a little, and then jumped a bit as Mizu burst into the bathroom, too.

"What's going on? Why did you look at me like that?"

What on Earth was he on about? He hadn't looked at him like anything! Had he? Jin Ho stared at the other man for a minute. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, voice a bit raspy from sleep. "I was having a bad dream. I woke up." He gritted his teeth for a moment. Perhaps he'd had some sort of awful expression on his face when he woke up? Not such a small wonder since he'd been having a nightmare. Was it?

And he'd forgotten that Sweeper was dead. That realization had returned upon awakening, too. Jin Ho wasn't sure whether or not he preferred the nightmare. "I was looking for Sweeper when I woke up," he said quietly. "I — I forgot that he was... gone." He'd remembered when he saw Mizu, of course. More than that, though, Jin Ho knew he had an expressive face. It had probably been obvious to the other man that he was confused when he woke up — just like now.

"Out of curiosity," he said, "were you holding on to me?" Usually, stimuli in the real world worked their way into his dreams. Maybe that's why it was hot that time. Jin Ho rubbed his face. "I was dreaming that the —" he waved a hand, not wanting to say it out loud, but knowing he ought to continue. "The satomobile I was in was on fire. And, um. The driver was dead. But the body of him wouldn't let me out of the car..." It sounded so stupid, as usual, to say things like that aloud. He sounded childish.

It was worse that the corpse had blue eyes. Jin Ho wasn't very close to any blue eyed person, and normally the people he cared about appeared in his dreams. That blue eyed corpse could well have been the Waterbender, but Jin Ho didn't want to examine the dream deeply.

Clearing his throat, the metalbender looked away from Mizu. "I guess I always thought that it would be natural to wake someone up from something like that if you care about them, so I didn't ask you specifically to do so. I'm sorry. I shouldn't expect you to do things the way I would do them." Or his family would do them, or really anyone he was close to, for that matter. It seemed like such an odd thing to have to say. But maybe Mizu had never had a nightmare? Or worse — maybe he'd never had someone wake him up and hold him when it was horrible? The very thought saddened Jin Ho deeply. He reached out, taking hold of Mizu's hand.

"I would wake you up," he said.

I don't know what you're talking about. I was having a bad dream. I woke up.

The flare in his chest made water spurt out of the faucet, and Mizu had to take a breath to calm himself. He had the unfortunate habit of bending whenever he felt any intense emotions, and it had gotten him in trouble in the past; one time in particular, it had resulted in ten shots flying into the face of a former regular. In the bartender's defense, the man had made some very colorful comment about Mizu's sexuality despite the fact that Mizu never made it a point to tell anyone.

I was looking for Sweeper when I woke up. I — I forgot that he was... gone.

The Waterbender's face fell; his suspicions about what had gone on in the bedroom had been confirmed. He was not now, nor would he ever be, Sweeper, but he couldn't help but feel a little hurt, no matter how stupid that sounded. It was almost like the Metalbender was disappointed that Mizu wasn't his dog.

Out of curiosity, were you holding on to me?

Mizu's eyes went wide for a second as he listened to Jin Ho's explanation of external stimuli affecting his dreams, and he cast his gaze down to the floor.

"Yes, I was, and I'm sorry. Nightmares are bad enough without anything making them worse."

Then, Jin Ho said something that made everything make sense: perhaps the biggest contributor to the look on the other man's face had been the fact that he hadn't been woken up before the dream got really bad, and in addition to feeling terrible for being hurt after what happened, he felt better about the whole thing. His hand tightened around Jin Ho's.

"I'm really sorry that I didn't wake you up, but now that I know, I'll make sure to wake you at the first sign of trouble. I guess I thought it would be kinda rude to do that; waking people up when they're sleeping is usually considered rude in my experience, but for you, I guess it's a good thing." He pulled the man closer and brought their lips together briefly. "I give you my word that I'll wake you from your bad dreams."

Jin Ho's Apartment

[tag: Mizu, dahhhling][/center]

The water coming out of the faucet startled Jin Ho, and he glanced at it momentarily. Clearly he was upsetting Mizu, and for that he felt sorry. His face reflected that realization. He felt even worse when it became clear that Mizu was really upset, and hoped that his explanation of what had happened would clear things up. To his great relief, it seemed to.

"I give you my word that I'll wake you from your bad dreams."

That gentle reassurance was the sort of thing that spurred passion in a romantic like Jin Ho Park. He laced their fingers together, pulling Mizu to him. "Maybe I won't have any," he suggested, pressing his lips to the other man's neck.

He pulled them closer together, shivering a little from the warmth of Mizu's skin. Suddenly being out of bed didn't seem like a great idea. Jin Ho wanted to curl up under the covers again, though he was still wide awake. He wanted to talk to the other man, as he'd said before — he really wanted to know more about him.

And kissing more wouldn't be bad, either.

"Let's go to bed," he said, pulling on Mizu's hand to lead him back down the hallway. Once in the bedroom, he opened the window to let air in before sliding an arm back around the Waterbender's waist and pulling them both onto the bed.

He so badly wanted to touch Mizu's hair. "I — I really want to know more about you," he said. "Talk to me."

Mizu left his breath behind when Jin Ho pulled him closer, and he could have sworn he felt electricity between their intertwined fingers. The air returned to his lungs when their chests touched, and any irritation or confusion he might have been feeling before evaporated.

Maybe I won't have any.

He gasped when Jin Ho's lips touched perhaps one of the most sensitive spots on his body, and the seconds in which a warm, fuzzy feeling roared through his body seemed to last hours. The Waterbender put his lips close to the Metalbender's ear, stopping just short of touching the cartilage.

"If it was up to me, you wouldn't have any." As the words flowed from his mouth like a steady river, his lips brushed the skin they were hovering above. The light touch was enough to send his own mind reeling, and he pulled back to keep himself from doing anything more. He couldn't; not when they still had some distance to go before he would feel comfortable doing that.

Let's go to bed.

He found himself being led by the wrist back to the bedroom, and the cool night air wrapped around him like a blanket. He cast a glance longingly into Jin Ho's eyes before falling with him onto the bed; Mizu found himself on top (so to speak), and it didn't feel like his weight was bearing down too much on the officer.

I — I really want to know more about you. Talk to me.

Mizu raised an eyebrow and cleared his throat.

"What's there to know about me? I think I've already told you about my parents and how they used to push me...they even hired me a tutor to try and make me a Master. He always said I didn't have the drive, that I was lazy." The Waterbender gave a "hmph" from his nostrils. "Shows what he knows. He died a couple of years after I left home."

He looked around before continuing. "What else? Oh...I don't know if you could tell, but...Mr. Chien, my boss, says that I rely on alcohol to cope with my problems." He bit his lip; he couldn't believe that he'd spilled one of his most embarrassing secrets.

Jin Ho's Apartment

[tag: Mr. Mizu][/center]

Since he didn't quite know what he was doing, the gasping response from Mizu was very heartening to Jin Ho. The man's lips near his ear sent shivers down his spine.

This was what had been missing when he and Hoshi had tried to have a romantic relationship. This.. spark, this anticipation, this fluttering feeling in his stomach. He'd not realized before exactly what was wrong, only that something was wrong. Now he knew.

It seemed like Mizu didn't know what to say about himself. It was interesting that his parents had gone so far as to hire a Master — "Did you ever want to be a bending Master?" he asked. "Or did you just go along with what your parents wanted?" He tried to imagine Mizu as a child, apathetically playing in water. It was a hard image to conjure. The metalbender laughed a little when Mizu said the Master had died a few years after he'd left home.

"My father taught me to bend," he said, "and then I went to the academy." Nothing special. Certainly he'd never worked personally with a Master! Idly, he wondered if Mizu's parents were rich. Not that it mattered. "Do you miss your family?" he asked.

As Mizu looked around with those deep blue eyes, Jin Ho smiled gently and placed a finger on the Waterbender's chin, turning his face back so their eyes would meet.

"What else? Oh...I don't know if you could tell, but...Mr. Chien, my boss, says that I rely on alcohol to cope with my problems."

He was so cute when he bit his lip. Jin Ho brushed his thumb over that lower lip for a moment before saying anything. "I had a feeling," he said, "that that might be the case. Is that something you want to change?" Because as much as he liked him, Jin Ho didn't know if he could handle a real, deep relationship with an alcoholic. He was enough of an emotional trainwreck as it was already. He couldn't imagine what would happen if they were to have a fight when Mizu was intoxicated.

Jin Ho let his fingers trail down the smooth skin of Mizu's back. He didn't want to think about the fact that it was entirely possible that Mizu wasn't even remotely interested in something serious. The policeman didn't honestly think he'd have the courage to approach a man again if this ended badly. He was already elated and nervous and sixteen thousand other emotions, all at once. But... even in the face of that emotional storm, he knew that he ought to ask. He needed to push himself to be communicative. "Are you —" he stopped and swallowed for a moment, gathering himself to just get it over with and ask. When he spoke again, the words tumbled out in a rush. "Um. Are you... what kind of, um. What kind of relationship are you interested in having, with me?"

As they lay on top of each other, Mizu could feel their chests moving; sometimes in perfect harmony, others in perfect counterpoint. It was interesting...and lovely.

Did you ever want to be a bending Master? Or did you just go along with what your parents wanted?

The Waterbender cleared his throat. "If I'd wanted to be a Master Waterbender, I would have been going along with what my parents wanted. I completed a good part of my training, but...we had money issues. My father lost his job." He looked "down" and then locked eyes with the Earthbender. "It didn't matter. I left home six years after that.
" He honestly would have been amazed if Jin Ho remembered how old he was when he set out on his own.

Do you miss your family?

The bartender's eyes went wide. "Do I miss my family? Yeah, sometimes, but they didn't really make an effort to stop me from leaving." His shoulders fell. "That's okay. When they realized that I didn't really care about my training, I had to fend for myself." Both of his eyebrows rose when he realized something. "I forgot to tell you! Before I started working at the bar, I worked for a metalsmith. He made parts for clocks. Y'know, gears and such."

I had a feeling that that might be the case. Is that something you want to change?

It had to come out sooner or later. "Yeah, actually. It's not really a good way to deal with your problems. You think that some of the regulars at the bar would be enough to stop me, but in a way, I kinda get it. Sometimes, problems are too overwhelming. We have to have a way to deal with them, or at least make ourselves feel better about not being able to." Maybe he did want to be a Master. Maybe his parents had been right.

Are you — Um. Are you... what kind of, um. What kind of relationship are you interested in having, with me?

The loaded questions just kept on coming, didn't they? His eyes flitted around as he tried to prepare himself for his answer. He wanted communication and, by Yue, he was getting it. "Um...wow. Well, I don't just want to be friends with you. Right now, you know almost as much as one other person in my life, and if you can make me feel that comfortable, I want to spend a lot more time with you. I want to get to know you." He swallowed a lump in his throat. "I...want to be, with you. Like, be, but with you. But I do want to be with you, if that makes any sense." He was sure that the only thing redder than his face was the moon the night Admiral Zhao killed the Moon Spirit.

Jin Ho's Apartment

[tag: 水さん][/center]

"It's hard to deal with such expectations at ten," said Jin Ho, doing the mental math. He did remember that the Waterbender had told him he was sixteen when he left home. It seemed so young! He couldn't imagine what the young Mizu had lived like, those first few years. Was he scared? Was he lonely?

Jin Ho had always had his family. Even though his own dreams aligned with his parents' hopes — well, mostly — he had never thought they wouldn't love him if he weren't a policeman.

"Do I miss my family? Yeah, sometimes, but they didn't really make an effort to stop me from leaving."

"They probably just didn't know what to say," said Jin Ho gently. "Maybe now that time has passed, they really miss you." He brushed his fingers down the man's side. "I hate to think of you being lonely."

"I forgot to tell you! Before I started working at the bar, I worked for a metalsmith. He made parts for clocks. Y'know, gears and such."

Ah. Maybe that was how he'd earned money. "Is that what you did when you left home? Worked on clocks or something?" It was lucky he had such an interesting talent! That knowledge would likely be handy, wouldn't it? Thinking of that...

"Well," he said, "you're right. It's not a good way to deal with your problems. And the occupation you've chosen right now probably isn't helping, either." Though Jin Ho had a feeling that Mizu wouldn't choose another job just to stop drinking. He seemed very attached to the bar.

" Sometimes, problems are too overwhelming. We have to have a way to deal with them, or at least make ourselves feel better about not being able to."

This bit Jin Ho was personally knowledgeable of. He nodded, and then laughed a little. "I go running," he said, "in the mornings, to shake the dreaming off. Have done for a long time. It's maybe an odd way to cope, but it helps me. I guess I feel stronger when I'm running, somehow." It made him feel better about the weakness he felt in the night. He hoped Mizu could find a healthier coping mechanism, too... "Have you ever seen one of those therapists? I had to, for a long time — I'm sure I already said..." he hated admitting that. Telling people that one had been to a doctor for his head was basically admitting that he was crazy.

Jin Ho liked to think he wasn't crazy. The therapist hadn't said the word 'crazy' to him, either. He stopped, feeling embarrassed.

"Um...wow.

He flushed. "I'm sorry!" he said quickly, "but I was — I was trying to be communicative!"

Well, I don't just want to be friends with you.

Well, that was a relief. Jin Ho was already far too attracted to think it possible for him to have a normal friendship with Mizu, anyway. He knew himself, and knew something like that wouldn't go well. All he could hope for was that Mizu wanted to be not-just-friends for more than one night, or more than a week.

"I want to spend a lot more time with you. I want to get to know you. I...want to be, with you. Like, be, but with you. But I do want to be with you, if that makes any sense."

"That makes sense." Jin Ho was elated. He dreamed of having someone who wanted to just... be... but with him. It was exactly what he had wanted to hear. Jin Ho kissed the other man again, a sweet but by no means entirely innocent kiss. The happiness he felt at the Waterbender's answer came across, but so did the passion from earlier. Jin Ho had not forgotten that they were lying half-naked in his bed. He pressed a kiss to Mizu's neck again, carefully avoiding running his fingers into the man's hair.

Though, to be frank, that was the worse temptation he'd ever experienced.

It's hard to deal with such expectations at ten.

It was, except he'd been dealing with his parents' expectations since he was born; they'd had (or at least, they'd thought they'd had) his life planned out as soon as his mother found out she was pregnant. What gave them the right to do that? The mere fact that they were his parents?

They probably just didn't know what to say. Maybe now that time has passed, they really miss you.

Mizu let out a bitter chuckle. "I don't think so. They'd probably say how disappointed they are in me for what I've done...or haven't done with my life. Just because I left home probably doesn't mean they'd expect any less of me." And they probably wouldn't. They'd tell him how selfish he was for leaving home, how lazy he was for not trying to continue his training, and how much he was letting them down for settling with life as a bartender; given that, he might never want to talk to them again.

I hate to think of you being lonely.

The last word sent a pang through his chest. He'd spent most of his life alone, so to speak, and the fact that he was forced to face it now made him want to drink more. In his entire life, especially since he'd discovered that he preferred the company of men, he'd never really dwelt on the fact that he didn't really have anyone to share his life with, and he certainly didn't want to start now. Thank Yue that Jin Ho changed the subject.

Is that what you did when you left home? Worked on clocks or something?

"Actually, I never worked on clocks; I just helped punch patterns into metal sheets that the smith pounded out so that clock makers could use them. I mean, we made other things, but it was mostly clock parts." The smith had actually gotten very angry when Mizu had expressed an interest in learning how the pieces fit together to make a working clock, and even angrier when he'd sought out one of their clients to learn. Doing that was tantamount to mutiny in the smith's eyes.

Well, you're right. It's not a good way to deal with your problems. And the occupation you've chosen right now probably isn't helping, either.

"I suppose not, but I think I need another way." When Jin Ho said that he used running to cope with his problems, his interest was piqued. "Maybe I could try running. It has to be better than drinking, right?" He hoped that he could find another coping mechanism, and when the other man suggested that he look into seeing a therapist, he said nothing. If he went down that route, it would mean that he really had a problem, and he didn't want to think that drinking had completely taken over his life. He didn't drink all day...

But the thought of his drinking "problem" evaporated with the important question he'd been asked...and the subsequent conversation.

That makes sense. His face lit up with an enormous smile. What he'd said made sense! The feeling he got from the confirmation that he wasn't spouting incoherent gibberish was intensified when Jin Ho kissed his neck again. He unwittingly let out a soft moan when a shiver traveled through his whole body.

"Can...can I touch you? I want to feel you."

That makes sense.

Jin Ho's Apartment

[tag: 水さん][/center]

Hearing how Mizu spoke of his family made Jin Ho deeply sad. Did the Waterbender think his parents didn't love him? Jin Ho just didn't see how that could be possible. "I'm sure they love you," he said, sounding as sad as he felt for a moment. He noticed how sad Mizu's own face looked, and began to think he shouldn't have said anything. Mental note: family. Touchy subject.

"There's nothing wrong with being a bartender," he said confidently. "And there's nothing wrong with opening a restaurant, either. You should do what makes you happy. After all, you're the one who has to live your life, aren't you?" Why was it that Jin Ho was great at giving advice like this but not great at practicing it for himself? He thought about it for a moment. He needed to talk to his parents... especially if he was going to be seeing more of Mizu. He'd want them to meet him. Jin Ho loved his parents, and if he came to love Mizu, he wanted the people he loved to know each other.

Now he was getting ahead of himself. He brought him attention back to where it should be — the man on top of him — and blushed a little.

"Maybe I could try running. It has to be better than drinking, right?"

"You can run with me in the morning, if you want to," said Jin Ho. He'd definitely be up and running at dawn. "I'm not kidding when I say I run every morning. Even if it's raining or icy." He didn't particularly like running in the ice, but Jin Ho had yet to ever regret going out for a run. Even if he didn't feel like it when he stepped out the door, by the time he came home, he was always glad he'd gone. "Sometimes it's hard to get out the door, but I always come back happy. It's kind of freeing to just... get out there and run. Move forward at your own pace, under your own power. It makes me feel like no one can stop me." Did that sound crazy? Maybe.

When he confirmed that what Mizu was saying made sense to him, the Waterbender smiled a heartwarming smile. That smile washed over him like golden light. Jin Ho felt the urge to make sure that he saw it much more often. He ran his hands down Mizu's sides, feeling the warmth and smoothness of his skin.

"Can...can I touch you? I want to feel you."

"You can touch me wherever you want," said Jin Ho, before putting his lips back to the man's neck. He pulled Mizu tighter against him, catching his breath a little. "I really," he murmured into the man's ear, "really want to touch your hair. Ever since I saw you." It was true — he may or may not have even had a sexy dream involving hair-pulling. Not that he would want to admit that to Mizu.

I'm sure they love you.

Deep down, he knew they probably did and actually cared what was going on in his life. Maybe he should write them...

No. He couldn't. It would open up too many wounds that had long since healed. He couldn't take the chance that they were still disappointed with him.

You should do what makes you happy. After all, you're the one who has to live your life, aren't you?

Mizu beamed. "Yes I am." Yes he was. His parents could only influence his life, but they couldn't control him or what he did. The thought of writing them didn't sound so bad. "But I wouldn't know how to find them. They might have moved from the old place." Of course, the police would probably be able to find them, but would that really be a good use for Republic City's law enforcement? He'd have to see.

You can run with me in the morning, if you want to.

The Waterbender raised an eyebrow. "Well, I don't usually get up early because I work so late, but I have a late shift tomorrow. I'm in. Plus, I don't really have to worry about rain or ice. I guess you don't either, if we're running together." His smile was coy and playful. The way the cop had described running made it sound more alluring

He loved when Jin Ho smiled. It meant even more in the face of tragedy; it made it better.

You can touch me wherever you want.

Oh, how he wanted to run his fingertips over every inch of the other man's body; to follow the curves of the toned muscle and venture into more rewarding places, but he needed to be somewhat chaste. He wanted to savor every moment and would rather that more intimate things be a result of the natural flow, not simply being overwhelmed by basic urges. That was hard, though, due to Jin Ho kissing his neck again.

I really, really want to touch your hair. Ever since I saw you.

Mizu put his lips just outside Jin Ho's ear. "I know how important that is to you, so you can touch it if you think you're ready for that. I won't touch yours until you tell me I can."

Jin Ho's Apartment

[tag: 水さん][/center]

"But I wouldn't know how to find them. They might have moved from the old place."

Oh! Was that – was that an opening? Feeling hopeful, Jin Ho smiled. “I can find them for you,” he said, “if you want me to. I can look them up and give you their address. All I need are names.” He was a policeman, after all. And looking people up was hardly a crime, right? Looking thoughtful, he paused for a moment, and then continued. “I think that writing them might be nice. I’m sure they’d like to hear from you. If I had a child I’d want to know they were okay.” The young policeman was quite happy to hear the other man say that he might want to contact his parents — or at least imply it.

I'm in. Plus, I don't really have to worry about rain or ice. I guess you don't either, if we're running together.

Jin Ho grinned. He rarely had running partners; part of that was because he often trained for the various marathons and half-marathons that were sometimes held around Republic City. A lot of them were for charity, which he liked. In general though, he just liked the challenge of running the mileage! "You're lucky," he said, "I'm not training for anything right now, so I won't be asking you to run twenty miles or anything!" He would have to remember to go slowly and keep a nice pace if they were to run together. Especially since it seemed as though Mizu was hardly a runner...

He forgot what he was thinking about when Mizu spoke into his ear. The movement of air near his ear made Jin Ho shiver – the skin was so sensitive.

"I know how important that is to you, so you can touch it if you think you're ready for that. I won't touch yours until you tell me I can."

Jin Ho arched his back a little without realizing it. “Isn’t –“ he gasped a little. “—Isn’t it a little early for that? I…” it was such an intimate thing, something that came with the utterance of three very important words. And he didn’t want to touch Mizu so intimately until they were both emotionally on the same page. The same very committed page.

But that didn’t mean he couldn’t do anything, right? Jin Ho raked his nails gently down the Waterbender’s side. Was it time to have a talk about limits? Was thinking about having a talk about limits a sign that Jin Ho was completely ridiculous? Did people even normally do that?

All this thinking was overwhelming. Rather than think any more, Jin Ho pressed his lips back to Mizu’s, tightening his grip on the other man. He didn’t know how far he wanted to go.

I can find them for you. All I need are names.

Really? Would it be that easy to find his parents? And why did he find himself wanting to jump at the chance he'd just been presented? Was he really ready for the potential of drudging up bad memories and sour feelings that had long since stagnated? Maybe he did.

"Later." His smile did the rest of the dismissal. The last thing he wanted to think about while in bed with a man like Jin Ho was his parents.

You're lucky. I'm not training for anything right now, so I won't be asking you to run twenty miles or anything!

The Waterbender laughed. "I meant that I can bend as I run, but it's a good thing it's not twenty miles. I doubt I can make it...I mean, I never exercise." Despite all the alcohol he drank, the process that regulated his weight was pretty good; a lot of men had told him that he had a nice body, but that may have just been empty flattery in order to get him into bed. Now that he was more interested in Jin Ho, it would only matter when the Metalbender said it. Speaking of bodies...

Isn’t-- Isn’t it a little early for that? I…

"If you're not ready for it, I won't force you. I won't force you to do anymmmmppphhhhh—" He was cut off by their lips making contact again. It seemed that they were on the same page with boundaries...as far as their hair went. The rest, on the other hand, was up for discussion.

The feeling of nails gently raking down his side made his head spin, and he found his fingertips gently brushing the side of Jin Ho's neck. He wanted...

No. It didn't matter what he wanted. It wouldn't be going against the flow of the evening, but this was technically their first date, right? Because he didn't know whether the other man possessed the capacity to say "no" at the moment, he had to.

"You--" He'd been about to say something about how amazing Jin Ho was, how he felt at that moment, but he corrected himself. "--Can I hold you?"

Jin Ho's Apartment

[tag: Miiiiiiiiiizu-kun!][/center]

I mean, I never exercise.

A very dirty thought about them exercising together in quite a few ways came to Jin Ho's mind, but he wasn't the kind of man who'd ever say such a thing. Instead he just smiled. In the morning he'd plan an easy one or two miles, nothing big or strenuous. He probably should consider doing a walk/run interval, since Mizu admitted to never exercising... Jin Ho was the type who could run a full twenty-six point two and make a good time. That didn't mean a short, easy run wouldn't be good for him!

If you're not ready for it, I won't force you.

It wasn't exactly about whether or not Jin Ho was 'ready'. He had been ready to find someone and fall in love and settle down since the age of twenty. He was romantic at heart and if asked, would readily admit it. He wanted that white picket fence, a windowbox garden, the same person to come home to every night. He wasn't ashamed of wanting those things. "No," said Jin Ho, pulling back a moment, "it's not that — it's just that, you know, I know I am naive, but I'm not so naive as to think either of us would be in love with the other yet, and that's the only time that kind of thing is appropriate." It wasn't about being ready, it was just about not being in love yet.

"You-—-Can I hold you?"

What was Mizu about to say? What about him? His curiosity was piqued. "Yes," he said, "you can." Was this Mizu's way of telling him to back off? Jin Ho loosened his hold on the other man instantly. He certainly wasn't the type to push anything, and he felt vaguely that he must have been doing so. The only answer was to back off, so that's what Jin Ho did. He squirmed a little, getting out from under Mizu and snuggling up to him so that they were now side-by-side.

He had probably ought to concentrate on sleeping. Jin Ho let out a windy sigh. "Sorry," he said, after a moment. "I — I'm just really, really attracted to you." That wasn't an excuse to jump into things, though, and he knew it. Perhaps it would be better to go to sleep. He could run off the tension in the morning. Jin Ho closed his eyes. He wanted to say so many things to Mizu, things like 'I've never felt this way before' or 'seeing you is both terrifying and exciting' or 'my heart beats faster when I'm with you', but he was too afraid of rejection. He just couldn't bring himself to speak.

It's not that — it's just that, you know, I know I am naive, but I'm not so naive as to think either of us would be in love with the other yet, and that's the only time that kind of thing is appropriate.

That made sense. Apparently, it was more intimate a thing than he'd first thought. "I'm fine with that. I don't want anything to happen before the right time, if that makes sense." It was hard for him to say that; he didn't have a connection like this with anyone else. It seemed almost outside of the realm of reality, but then again, the "firsts" weren't done happening in his life, and this sort of thing was most definitely a first. Possibly. He couldn't tell.

Yes, you can.

As they slid into a new position, he breathed an inaudible sigh of relief. Now that they weren't on top of each other, he felt the intense heat that had been radiating from his core (and other places) subside. The urge remained, but a few cooling breaths into his core eased its ebb and flow.

I — I'm just really, really attracted to you.

Mizu licked his lips as he took in the other man's warmth. Jin Ho was soft, yet firm at the same time, like his toned muscles were wrapped in a layer of silk. He swallowed a lump in his throat.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm very attracted to you. I-- I don't like saying this, but I actually had to stop myself from...you know." The Waterbender's face went red yet again. "I just-- I don't want to rush anything. I just see such potential for us. Maybe I'm just hoping for too much, but..." He used his hand to turn Jin Ho's face toward his, "I really want things to go well for us." His icy eyes strained to broadcast the true meaning behind his words.