Li Mei reached for the menu and scanned the choices. Her hands shook and in turn, so did the menu. So the 'other Yi' didn't like her? But it wasn't just her. He didn't like anyone. But why? Did it have to do with his past? Maybe it was only trying to protect him? He wouldn't need protection from her. Li Mei couldn't hurt Yi if she wanted to. He had been nothing but kind to her. And it would cold and cruel to do anything to hurt him. He had been through enough. She peeked at him over the top of her menu and watched him for a moment.

"I would just like an order of noodles please." she whispered, glancing up at the waitress. She looked exhausted and a bit irritated. She took their menus and went into the kitchen to fill their orders. Leaning forward, Li Mei placed her hand in front of Yi and smiled at him. "He doesn't have to worry about me...I won't do anything to hurt you...Can you tell him that?" Li Mei hoped this other Yi was just as sweet as the one she was talking to now. Surely he would understand.

Yi could feel his heart stop abruptly; hate rushed into his head and combined with his rising paranoia, causing the joy he once felt to fade slightly. He felt as if she was mocking him... mocking him!! Of all things to do... she had to mock him! Yi glanced up at Li and forced a faint smile. The smile quickly vanished as he lowered his head; his paranoia getting the best of him. Did she take this as some joke?! Maybe the voice was right... maybe she was trying to harm Yi in some cruel and manipulative way… Faked everything just to toy with him… Yi’s experience with people only furthered his paranoia.

Yi didn’t know how to answer… if he even wanted to answer… he decided not to respond to her… He wasn’t going to give her the pleasure or ridiculing him anymore. The emptiness inside of him came back; consuming all the happiness and joy he experienced for the short time… Maybe this was why the voice blocked these feelings… when these feeling were broken… they hurt the most… it was far worse to experienced happiness and have it violently removed, then to ever have experienced it at all… He was wrong to doubt his better half… and now he was suffering…

Yi kept his head lowered and expressionless... one of the benefits of being mentally sick is affective flattening; the reduction of the intensity of emotional expression… he sighed quietly and focused on the red table cloth, tracing the stitching that ran through the fabric.

Li Mei's head tilted to the side and she studied Yi for a moment. Had she said something wrong? She replayed what she had said in her mind, carefully wording it to make sure it wasn't offensive. She felt her stomach gather in a knot. Yi was upset with her and she couldn't figure out why. Why wouldn't he answer her? "...You're mad at me..." she whispered, slouching back in her chair. "Whatever I said or did, I'm sorry. Please say something." The volume of her voice fell. She still didn't understand what she had done to hurt him. Li Mei hadn't meant to upset Yi. She wasn't very hungry anymore as she sat up and rested her arms on the table.

His face remained hidden from her view and she couldn't see him and it made it difficult to talk to him. It felt like she was talking at him. Li Mei needed some sort of acknowledgment. "Yi...please say something, anything. Are you mad at me? If you are you can...." She stopped speaking and looked down at her arms. He could what? She knew what she was going to say and if her mother could hear her, she would be shocked and angry with Li Mei. But at the moment, none of that mattered. She just wanted Yi to acknowledge her. "...hit me." she finished softly. She craved his attention even if it was only negative.

“...You're mad at me…Whatever I said or did, I'm sorry. Please say something.”

The words bounced off Yi, clearly have no effect on him… He was hurt… he just wanted to leave… go back home and drown himself in his own pity and sorrow… the last thing he needed was fake pity… especially from a person who considers him a joke… a joke… his father was right… he was nothing but a joke… the fly in the ointment… Yi could only scoff quietly to himself. He hated himself for thinking this…

Yi continued to keep his head low, his eyes darting back and forth in their sockets... he was lost in deep though…he wished that voice was back…he needed control in his life… he missed the control… the organization…the strength… he pleased to himself for the voice to comeback… but his pleas went unanswered… he was all alone inside his head, lost in his thoughts… He could feel his lower jaw tremble slightly, as he tried to focus…

“Yi...please say something, anything. Are you mad at me? If you are you can... hit me”

Those words hit Yi like large boulders. Yi forced his eyes shut, Anger raised in his mind…a feeling he was all too familiar feeling for him. He opened his eyes slightly taking the form of narrow slits that were filled with rage. He slowly raised his head and stared at Li, his eyes drilling holes into her… “I would never do such a thing! That is something he would do... but not me!”, sneered a near-hysterical Yi; his voice a mix of laughter and sobbing. He had to get away; He quickly stood up and threw a few gold coins on the table. “I’m not hungry any more…”, added Yi in the same frame of voice.

He was still angry..."What do you want me to say?" Li Mei asked, her voice quivered and she could feel tears stinging the corners of her eyes. She didn't expect him to care; No one could care for such a stupid girl...her tears began sliding down her cheeks. She pushed past Yi and moved toward the exit. Li Mei was greeted by a cold rush of air and she didn't care if people saw she wasn't Fire Nation. She wandered about the quiet streets, feeling more lost and lonely than she ever had before. Maybe Yi would come after her. Maybe he wouldn't. She didn't care at that moment.

Her cheeks were cold and if felt as if the tears would freeze to her face. Where was she going? She had no clue, since she had no idea where she was. The buildings grew more and more familiar before she stopped in front a familiar spot, Yi's house. She had wandered back to the last place she wanted go. Li Mei sank to the ground and sat with her back to the wall. She drew her knees close to her chest and her face disappeared. Her shoulders began heaving as she began to cry softly.

Yi watched as Li shoved her way by him and stormed out the door; he could only watched her exit the building… he felt terrible… he was turning into the thing he hated the most… be was just as bad as the voice… if not worse… He glanced over at the waitress as she stopped mid movement with the food in her hands; she was in shock, her pupils the size of pinholes and almost unseen. Yi shot her a dead lifeless look… The last thing he needed was another person scared and mad at him… Yi quickly lowered his head and shut his eyes… “Could I get those meals to go please…” The waitress quickly nodded and started back towards the kitchen.

Yi felt terrible he couldn’t comprehend why he did that… he successfully pushed the only person he cared about out of his life…He couldn’t stand to make eye contact anymore… He was indeed worthless… worthless… a word all too familiar to him… his father used that word as well as the voice… maybe he was worthless… he didn’t have a reason to live… after all… he was a disgrace… a leech on society and a low life bottom feeder… He wished he was dead… he wanted to cry... but he couldn’t... Something held back the tears…

The waitress quickly walked up and sat the boxes of food on the table and quickly walked away in sheer horror. Yi grabbed the boxes and started off out of the building. The cold was a warm welcome to his body… he felt at home in the cold… the cold air bit his skin, it felt like a thousand thin needles were being constantly jabbed in and out of his body… The pain reminded him that he was alive… alive… such a vague term to Yi… even though he knew he was alive… he sure didn’t feel like it… he felt more dead then usual…

The walk home was uneventful… as always. Yi maintained his usual crouched figure as he walked; his hot breath making steam in the cold night air. He wondered where Li was now… he couldn’t get her out of his mind… she haunted his thoughts… it was like fire… hellfire… this fire in his skin was blazing him out of his mind… He turned down the side of the store and arrived in the small yard that was in front of his house… The all too familiar sounds of sobbing echoed in the small enclosure.

It was Li… she was sitting next to his door; her face buried in her knees. Yi stood there for a few silent moments, just looking at her… He closed his eyes and walked towards the door, unlatching it and sliding it open. “You should come inside… its warm in here…you’ll get sick staying out in the cold.”, spoke Yi softly, his voice showing signs of concern.

Li Mei's head was pounding. How long had she been crying? She needed to stop crying, but the tears kept coming. She had hurt Yi and made him upset with her. Was it really a good idea to come back here so Yi could ignore her here too? Did she really want to stay here with him, knowing that she could hurt him and he wouldn't forgive her? She didn't want to leave...she had grown quite attached to Yi and she cared for him.

She felt so awful. She turned her head on the door and rested her head on her arms. She was a stupid girl...just like daddy said. The tears had finally stopped and she could feel the pain in her head starting to subside. Li Mei didn't deserve Yi's forgiveness. She had hurt him twice in one day. She didn't want him to forgive her. But...she didn't want him to ignore her either. She hated to admit it, but things were so much easier with her father. He would simply rant then lash out at whoever was closest. Yi...he wouldn't speak to her and for some reason, she couldn't handle that.

Li Mei heard footsteps approaching and she buried her head back in her knees. She knew it was Yi and she didn't want him to see her like this, her eyes puffy and red and her cheeks stained with tear streaks. He was saying something...he sounded so far away and she raised her head a bit to hear him. "I'll get sick?" she echoed. She looked up at him and noticed he had opened the door and he stood with two boxes of food.

She pushed herself up slowly and stepped into the dark room with her head bent low. "I'm really sorry..."

Yi kept his head lowered in shame as Li walked into his dark apartment. It was utterly dark in the apartment… Yi liked it dark… but he knew that Li probably didn’t like the dark… He slowly slid the door shut and latched it. His next stop was the small counter. Even though the room was dark, Yi knew where he was going... he has done this walk several times. He moved around Li and walked towards the counter; his footsteps making clanking and creaking sounds on the wooden floor.

Yi felt around with his hand and found the counter. He rested the boxes on the counter and waved his hand ups in the air, searching for the cupboards. He hand brushed across the front of the small wooden door. With surgical skill, he opened the cupboard and pulled out a candle and two lanterns and sat them next to the boxes of food. Not caring about the cupboard door, Yi reached for the strike rocks that rested on the counter. He quickly rubbed them together and lit the candle. An omniscient glow filled the small area surrounding the counter. Yi’s hand shook as he lit the small candles in the two lanterns. The entire corner instantly lit up with a brilliant orange glow. Yi blew out the candle and picked up one of the lanterns and walked over to the dresser. Making sure not to run into Li, he sat the lantern gracefully on the dresser. The two lanterns surprisingly lit up the entire room with ease.

Yi walked up to Li and looked into her swollen, blood shot eyes. He tried his best to keep eye contact with her; he could feel tears starting to build in the corners of his eyes. Yi knew he screwed up badly… He chased away the only one her cared about… Yi felt miserable… he felt exhausted… he wanted to curl up in a ball and cry like Li did… but he couldn’t cry... with all his might he tried to cry… “I’m sorry about the restaurant Li…. I didn’t know what came over me… I became the thing I hated… the thing I despised… You must understand… He was the first person to help me… and he never lets me forget that… he… I got into a fight with him earlier… he is gone now… I can feel him in me… but he doesn’t do anything… all he does is sits and watches me self destruct… You must understand Li… I miss him… I missed you… as much as I care for him and rely on him… I don’t want to lose you…”, confessed Yi, his voice filled with sorrow and despair… He knew that if the voice came back.. he had signed both Li’s and his death warrants… But he wasn’t going to let that happen.

It was a wonder that Yi still wanted her around. Li Mei's head lifted a bit as the light from the lanterns came into the room and the darkness slowly disappeared. Her eyes burned and she felt the urge to rub them. She listened to his apology and she wanted to cry again. "...I was the one who messed up, Yi. I'm sorry." her mouth was dry and felt like cotton. She looked at his eyes and threw her arms around him. He felt warm and she moved closer, in hopes of getting warmer too.

"You won't lose me, Yi...I won't leave you." she whispered. She pulled away from him, her hands resting on his shoulders. Leaning toward him again, Li Mei's eyes closed slowly and she gently brushed her lips against his.

Yi listened to Li’s apology, deep down he knew that she really felt sorry; he could hear it in her voice. She was fearful… and just as lost as him… her words echoed in his head… She had no reason to apologize, she was only trying to help…and he was deeply in debt to her… he was grateful that she was here… deep down he could feel something churning in his stomach; as if something wanted to escape.. It felt like little flapping wings of butterflies.

He looked deep into her eyes, those large watery blue eyes… A euphoric wave coursed through his body as he felt her arms wrap around his waist. The joy began to return to Yi… it was her warmth… her touch… she felt so good… Memories flashed before his eyes… joyous memories… memories of them cuddling… memories of them holding hands… memories of the hugs… All of them felt so good to Yi… They made him realize that he wasn’t alone… someone cared for him… Li cared for him… he would not let anyone get between them ever again… not the voice… not the Fire Nation… no one… odd sensations filled his body, his body was enjoying the sensation… He felt light, almost light enough to float away…

“You won't lose me, Yi...I won't leave you.”

Those words filled his mind; they pushed everything else out of his head, everything but these new sensations… Was this… love? He had heard people taking about it on the streets… but Yi didn’t know what love was… Could this be love? These new sensations he was feeling… is this what love feels like? Yi hoped with all hi might that it was… the people on the streets looked so happy with each other… He was envious of them…desiring what he couldn’t have…but things were different now… he had Li…

He felt Li pull away slightly, the cold air touched his skin, sending a slight chill down his spine. His body tensed up in protest to the breaking of the contact between them. But it was quickly beaten into submission by her resting her arms on his shoulder. His body shivered slightly… as if it knew what was coming... but Yi didn’t… Her body got close to his again, but this time something was different. Her eyes closed and her lips approached his. Almost instinctly Yi closed his eye as her lips brushed up against his. His head involuntarily turned to the side, allowing for her lips to make full contact with his. Waves of electricity surged uninterruptedly though his entire body causing him to shiver in surprise and awe. This feeling surged through his body, he was in utter bliss, his brain was in ecstasy… This feeling engulfed Yi and held him hostage. It felt so good… her lips were so soft… so gentle…

This was her first kiss and it was everything she hoped it would be. Her lips tingled and she felt a familiar heat spread through her body. She felt her knees tremble slightly and her toes wiggled in her boats. She wished with all her might that she didn’t have to pull away. Her lungs screamed for air and pulled away from him slowly.

She slipped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. Her stomach fluttered nervously and Li Mei was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the fact that she hadn’t eaten yet. She had never felt this way before and she had to admit, she liked it.

Li Mei looked up at Yi and smiled again. She had never been able to be this close to anyone before she escaped her prison. She was allowed to care about someone and someone was allowed to care about her. She was glad Yi was the someone who cared about her. She searched for something to say before she realized the food was growing colder, the longer they stood there.

She knew it was trivial compared to what just happened, but her stomach began growling again and she blushed when it did. “I’m sorry,” she said, “My stomach ruined a perfect moment there.” She said. Li Mei wanted to wait for Yi to move first. She didn’t want to break away from him just yet. He was so warm and comforting and she didn’t want to let go.

Yi was lost in a lustful daze as Li pulled her lips away from his; his face held the same position, his mouth partially open and his eyes closed… he didn’t want it to end…but all good things come to an end… But not all was lost; for her arms moved their way down his sides and resting at his waist. Yi could feel the pressure of Li’s head on his chest… It felt so good, so reassuring… so...so...perfect…

Yi wrapped his arms around her and squeezed lightly to show that he was there... he never wanted this to end… never… never… he was actually happy… for the first time in over 4 years that he was genuinely happy. There was no way he was going to let this moment fade away. He looked down at her as she looked up at him… their eyes met… it was if there was some magical bond between them… he loved her blue eyes… they were perfect.... like a flawless diamond. The small growling sound of a stomach broke the perfect moment… Yi wasn’t sure if it was his stomach or hers… Both Yi and Li blushed at the same time.

“I’m sorry; my stomach ruined a perfect moment there.”

Yi flashed a caring and concerned smile. The smile may have been faint... but it was genuine. He knew that the food was probably getting cold… it was time they ate… With great hesitation, Yi broke away from Li and slowly walked over towards the counter and picked up the boxes. With great care be brought them over to the two stools and sat the boxes down on the ground in front of the stools, Yi walked back to the counter and pulled out two sets of chop sticks and walked back down to the stools and sat down. “The food is still slightly warm…” , spoke Yi in his very so soft voice. He looked over at the empty seat beside him.

Li Mei let her arms fall reluctantly as she watched Yi move toward the kitchen. She crossed her arms and smiled warmly at him. He was so kind and generous. Once he sat down she moved toward her stool and sat down with him. She opened her box of food and began eating her noodles. She glanced over at Yi and sighed contently. She chewed silently, before she spoke to him. "You are the first person that's been able to be close to me like that, Yi." She whispered, and a small grin spread across her lips.

She reached for him and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. She was thankful for the time she could spend with him. She was happy to be with him and despite what happened earlier, she wouldn't have it any other way. "My dad...he would freak if he saw me now..." She laughed quietly. Li Mei stabbed her noodles with her chop sticks before she looked up at Yi.

((sorry about not posting sooner.. computer crapped out…))

“"You are the first person that's been able to be close to me like that, Yi.”

A slight smile interrupted Yi as he ate… The food was kinda cold, but he didn’t mind…He could feel the warmth of Li being so closed to him. She was so nice to him…she was so beautiful… Part of Yi didn’t feel worthy enough to even look at her… let alone… kiss… her… A kiss… The kiss was pure ecstasy… He couldn’t shake the feeling it gave him… It was indeed magical…Yi’s thoughts were interrupted by the warmth of her hand surrounding his… the gentle pressure sent a chill down his spine… He was still in awe of soft she was…

“My dad...he would freak if he saw me now...”

Yi’s lips parted slightly as a different smile replaced the one that was on his face. Yi couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of Li… Yi’s father wouldn’t have “Freaked”… no… if Yi’s dad saw him now… regardless of being with Li… Yi would die… His father never showed remorse… only pain…

Yi sat his food on the wood floor in front of him. He tightened his grip slightly on her hand; a sign that he felt her pain. Yi could feel his lower jaw tremble slightly. He turned to face Li, flashing a smile on his face. “This is my first tie to… my first encounter… my first personal contact... my first kiss…”, replied Yi, his face slightly lowered in shame.. his first time he ever touched a girl’s hand and it was at 18… pathetic…

“ I know you hate your father… and I know what I’m going to say might hurt… but if he has the devotion to find you… that is a sign that he cares… even if it’s sadistic in its own way…, added Yi softly, making sure to squeeze her hand to show that he didn’t want to scare her… and to show that he cared for her. “My father… he doesn’t give me the time of day… he won’t even let me look him in the eyes… he didn’t want to control me... he wanted to hurt me… he wanted me to suffer, an suffer alone…”, finished Y, his eyes watering with shame and sorrow.

Li Mei gave Yi a comforting smile as she set her food down as well. She understood what he meant. And she was grateful to have someone who understood. It was hard finding someone to talk to, especially when it was so painful. So she was grateful Yi knew and understood.

She shuddered slightly at the thought of him finding her. "...If he found us...It might not be so bad with me...but I don't even want to think about what he do to my mother." Her hand clung to Yi's to make sure that he was still there. He wouldn't let anything happen to her, she was sure of it. And in turn, she would protect him too.

She listened to his words carefully. His father was just as cruel as hers if not worse. She watched his eyes water and she reached up and gently touched his cheek. Li Mei knew and understood. A gentle smile pulled at her lips."...You have me now. So you don't have to...go through this alone."

Yi could feel his body go limp in response to her words. ...You have me now. So you don't have to...go through this alone… The words echoed loudly in his head… he was no longer alone… he had someone… someone special…someone who has experienced the same horrors as him… He still couldn’t fathom the joy and happiness he was feeling… never before has he felt this good… he didn’t want it to end… oh spirits don’t let it end!… Yi felt the pressure on his cheek… YI was still in ecstasy and awe with how soft her hands were, and Yi loved it with all his heart. A faint smile appeared on his face as he locked his eyes on hers. He was mesmerized by her eyes… He loved their blue color… he loved blue… but it was a taboo here in the Fire Nation… Blue was the color of the enemy… enemy… how could someone like Li be an enemy?... she was so soft and so gentle…

By now most of his food was gone and he was comfortably full… the voice loved to read at this time,; reading classic poetry and stories… but since he was no longer here… there was nothing to do… Yi wanted to spend more time with Li… He raised his hand up to his cheek and rested it on her hand. Shocks of pleasure ran down Yi’s arm and coursed its way through his body. Her touch was magical. Yi could resist any more; with his free hand he gentle touched her cheek… It was even softer then her hands…Wave after wave after wave the mixture of happiness and pleasure coursed its way through his body. He slowly slid his hand off her cheek and reached for her other hand.

YI was in heaven… she felt so good…Slowly, he moved closer and closer towards her. He gently pulled her hand from his face and held it in his hand. He just wanted to be close to her… he wanted to feel her warmth and softness, he wanted to feel the sensations again…He gently released her hands and wrapped his arms around her in a gently, loving hug… but to Yi... it was more than a hug…. It was bliss

“Thank You Li... I will always be there for you… even if It costs me everything… I will let nothing happen to you...”

Li Mei's eyes closed as she felt Yi's hand touch her cheek gently. She was amazed at how good it felt to have his hand pressed to her cheek. She leaned toward him and her eyes fluttered opened when it was gone. She was confused for a moment before she felt his hand reaching for hers. Being this close to Yi was truly amazing. She loved the way he made her feel.

When he released her hands, a small gasp of surprise escaped her lips as he pulled her close to him. His arms around her was wonderful. She slipped her arms beneath his and around his back. Her throat began to burn and as she realized she had been holding her breath. She exhaled softly and rested her head on his shoulder. This was wonderful and she never wanted him to let her go. Ever.

"...I love you, Yi..." she whispered before she realized it. She couldn't take it back and she wasn't sure if she wanted to. She did love him with every bit of her heart.