Burning with... [tag: Airi]

Anonymous

Jun 3, 2013 13:33:49 GMT -6

Shuai went to work because she felt that she had no other choice. She needed money to pay her rent, to buy food, and to fund her trips to the country. She hadn’t visited her mother in well over or month, or maybe it was three? Regardless, Shuai needed her mother now if not more than ever. But how could the ex-firebender face her mother and recount everything that had happened to her? She could barely remember the incident and the police had done everything they could to fill in the gaps, but there was still a missing piece and that piece burned a hole in Shuai’s brain.

No one really noticed her at work. It was just another day at the restaurant and there were orders to fill and mouths to feed. She should have told her boss right away, but there was something in her throat and it kept her from speaking. While she worked at the stove Shuai thought of her mother and Yuuta–especially Yuuta–and Takeo. She wondered how the ex-waterbender was getting along now that he too was free of the Police Station. Perhaps he was back at the hotel doing his job, making everyone think that he was okay. But he wasn’t okay, and Shuai wasn’t okay, and none of the other victims were okay. They had all been cheated in the most unforgivable way and were going to have to deal with the shit hand they had been dealt.

Shu-shu bit her lip, which was still slightly purple as she tossed the spicy ingredients back and forth inside of the pan and with her free hand, wiped the sweat from her brow. As she lowered her hand someone yelled an order too close to her ear and without thinking she placed her hand down over one of the burners. She usually did that and was fine, because she could bend a flame from her own hand for protection, but she realized as the pain worked up from her fingertips to her wrist that she was no longer a bender.

* * *

She pounded her heels furiously against the streets and a tear hung from the corner of her left eye. Her left hand was wrapped in a cloth and she no longer adorned her chef attire. Instead, Shuai walked as fast as she could toward the herbalry wearing a burgundy skirt, ankle high boots, and a tan three-quarter sleeve shirt. While she walked she prayed that Yuuta was at work. She hadn’t seen him, hadn’t even had the chance to tell him what happened to her, and she didn’t even know if she had written him a note that night. Maybe she did and he had come home and read it and was now worried about her, since she had not come back home like she had promised. Maybe, she thought as she turned a busy corner, I didn’t even write a stupid note.

The pain that exploded from her hand could not compare to the excitement she felt toward seeing Yuuta. As she neared the herbalry all the tawny-eyed woman could think of was that morning where they had woken up together in Yuuta's bed. She wanted to relive that moment more than anything. Instead, she could not firebender and had burnt her hand–much to her boss' surprise, but he thankfully let her go to seek the attention of a professional, who Shu-shu needed to see more than anybody else in the world. Wincing she pushed past the door and entered the herbalry, her eyes glued to the floor. Without lifting her head, for she feared that her herbalist was not at work, Shuai said, “Yuuta,” and held back her tears.

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Last edit by Deleted: Jun 7, 2013 21:06:19 GMT -6

Anonymous

Jun 4, 2013 19:38:49 GMT -6

Yuuta sat behind the counter with his head on it, like it was too heavy with all the thoughts in his head. Shuai, just two days ago - was it? - had woken up with him in bed, made him breakfast and left. Just like that. Sure, it was awkward and he treated it as such, but did he drive her away or did she simply run off because of different reasons? Or, like her note said, that she went to see if her friend was all right. While he had little to no skills dealing with situations like this, he did know that it was an excuse to leave. Tuyen had her boyfriend with her, hadn't she? Ugh, all the alcohol he had that night just made the whole thing a painful blur of a memory.

"Look alive!" his master gruffly told him, whacking Yuuta with his own cane on the back before walking off to the back room with the supplies. He made little attempt to do what he was told, his gut twisting into awkward shapes as he continued to think about Shuai. Shuai of whom he hadn't seen in a while now. Not like that was out of the ordinary; they did have odd work schedules but his hours were cut back. He was sure he'd be able to see her at least a little more but that seemed not to be the case.

The man jumped when he heard the door open, looking towards it to see who would have come here only to see the same girl he had been thinking about. "Shuai," he muttered incredulously with wide eyes. For a moment, he was happy to see her, wanting to run over - well, maybe limp around - to her and hug her but the look she held in her eyes held him back. "What... happened?" he asked when his eyes fell onto her bandaged hand. "Here, let me take a look at that," he said quickly, the words slightly slurred together.

As he thought he would've, he limped towards her and took her hand into his, unwrapping it carefully. "Shuai," Yuuta said again as he saw the reason for her arrival: a nasty burn on her hand. But... a burn? She was a firebender, what on earth could she have burned herself from? "This way," he told her, his hands lingering to hold her's for another moment before he ran off to the back where his master was and fumbled with a few jars until he found the salve he was looking for as well as some clothes, water and bandages, gesturing her over to take a seat in the back.

Dipping a cloth into the water, he warned her, "This is going to hurt," and brushed it lightly over the skin before scooping some salve with his fingers and gently rubbed it on the burn. As he continued to rub, he spoke. "What happened, Shuai? A burn?"

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Anonymous

Jun 7, 2013 22:30:11 GMT -6

For a moment Shuai doubted that the mass behind the counter was Yuuta, but then he said her name and all the warmth in her body filled her freckled cheeks. His voice prompted her to yearn to be enveloped in his embrace, to rest her head against his chest and feel the steady rise and fall of his breathing, but the constant pain in her hand forced her to quit her imagination. This really wasn’t the time to fantasize, not while her hand suffered from whatever degree burns.

Their eyes were locked, the green hue of his penetrating her soul, when Yuuta asked her what happened. Ashamed to answer with the facts Shuai lowered her gaze and rested her eyes on her boots. How was she going to tell Yuuta that she was no longer a firebender? Perhaps if he had read about the attacks in the newspaper it would make breaking the news to him easier, but how could Shu-shu be sure that the herbalist knew? Silently she listened as he approached then winced as he gently unwrapped her hand. He said her name again, which only brought more tears to her eyes, then he lingered for a moment before instructing her to follow behind him.

She listened while he fumbled with jars and other ingredients then took the seat he gestured toward. His warning couldn’t have been more correct, for when Yuuta brushed the dampened cloth over her hand Shuai used her other hand to smother her cry. It wasn’t until Yuuta began to apply the salve that Shuai lowered her hand. The salve, thank the spirits, was working wonders on her hand, but then as expected Yuuta dropped the bomb.

“Yeah,” slid past the lump in her throat with ease, but her explanation did not follow. How was she going to say what needed to be said, and more importantly, how was she going to force the words from her vocal cords, to her throat, and then out of her mouth? It seemed like the process would take too much energy to complete and Shuai was exhausted. Every one of her cells ached in ways she never thought they could. What exactly had been done to her body, and could…could she be fixed?

Focusing her eyes on Yuuta’s ivory hand while he rubbed the salve into hers Shuai mumbled, “I…I wasn’t payin attention to the stove, and s-someone said somethin real close to my ear…it just slipped into the flame. It was so fast I…” She stuttered and smushed her words together like a drunk. She would have said a little more, but it hurt her throat too much. Hopefully, he’d buy her story, but to keep him from asking more questions she needed to change the subject. “How,” she began her voice a little dry, “have you been?” It was a valid question and she truly did want to know how he was getting along since that morning.

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Anonymous

Jun 10, 2013 14:52:48 GMT -6

Yuuta's eyes narrowed slightly as she explained the burn. Nothing about what she said added up, that someone speaking to her caused her to slip her hand into the flame or even that she wasn't paying attention to the stove. Still, he decided not to press it at the moment. While the salve seemed to help the burn, he would be it still stung a bit and he couldn't help that besides with a bit of aspirin. At that thought, he gently set her hand onto her lap, the salve still on her hand. "Rub that in gently, if you can," he told her as he pushed himself up from his sitting position and wandered his way towards the stock.

His fingers hovered over each container as he searched for the pain killer. When he found it, he plucked it from it's place and tapped out two handmade pills. As an afterthought, he filled a glass of water and limped back towards where she sat. "Take these," he told her firmly, grabbing her unharmed hand and dropping the pills into it and held out the glass for her to take, waiting still and patiently.

When she was done, he let out a long and easy breath. "I'm fine," he said, figuring he owed her that much. "A little anxious, though. I haven't received any letter from my mother recently."

"Shu-shu," Yuuta said after a long pause, "there's something you're not telling me."

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Last edit by Deleted: Jun 10, 2013 14:53:28 GMT -6

Anonymous

Jun 27, 2013 22:47:55 GMT -6

The ex-firebender waited for Yuuta’s response all the while relishing the sensation of her hand being rubbed by his. The feeling not only dulled the pain in her hand, but also reduced the throbbing in her head. Shuai was never one to get worked up over an injury. However, these circumstances were far different from any other she’d encountered in her life. But the rubbing helped, a lot, and right at the moment that Shu-shu secretly wished that the rubbing would never stop, it stopped. She looked at her hand in her lap first before she lifted her head to face Yuuta. He asked her to rub her own hand-if possible-then disappeared beyond her view. For a second Shuai considered doing what Yuuta had asked of her, but after a quick glance at her hand she decided against the act. It wasn’t that the burn was so awful, but the wound together with the salve made her hand look, well gross.

Luckily for Shuai, Yuuta returned before the chef had time to counter her own decision. He carried a glass in one hand and using his free hand he took her uninjured hand and dropped a pair of pills into her palm. Trusting Yuuta’s knowledge of medicine Shuai placed the pills inside of her mouth then taking the glass from him she took a generous sip of water to wash the medicine down. It wasn’t until she had swallowed the pills that the herbalist sat down and answered her question. Unfortunately, the news caused Shuai’s frown to sink a little farther. She couldn’t help but recall that Yuuta had said his mother was suffering from something terminal, so what if the worst had finally come? It has come, her mind softly cried. She didn’t know what to say.

”Shu-shu,”

His voice brought her back. She looked at him and after he had finished saying what he needed to say, Shuai shoved her bottom lip in between her front teeth. She didn’t blame him, nor was she angry with the herbalist for not believing her story. It was after all the truth, but it was a truth masking an even larger truth that Shu-shu knew she needed to bring to light before it drove her into darkness, or madness. She wanted to believe that she would feel better after he knew, but the uncertainty was gnawing at her heart. She held his emerald gaze, sweat dripping slowly down her long neck, and imagined for a few seconds how she was going to get the words out of her mouth.

“Y-Yuuta I,” she stuttered then thinking she heard a faint rustle behind her she turned her head. Nothing. She looked back at him and then quickly looked about the room. “Yuuta,” she started again making a small realization, “c–can we go home? I feel terrible askin you to leave work, b–but I don’t want to talk here, if that’s okay?”

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Anonymous

Jun 27, 2013 23:45:33 GMT -6

Yuuta's heart dropped when he heard her voice. This didn't sound like his Shuai, not the one he knew. She looked so nervous and on edge and all it did was confirm that all of this was more than just carelessness on her part in the kitchen. He didn't really want to press her on the subject if it made act this way towards him but at the same time he wanted to make sure she was okay. If she wasn't, at least he could begin to help her in any way he could though he doubted he could provide much emotional support for whatever was going on as he could barely even handle the absence of letters from his mother.

"If I was anyone else," he replied with a long sigh, casting his gaze down at his own lap as his hands reached out to hold hers, covering up his affection by rubbing the slave on her hand once more, "I'd be fine going back... home." Home seemed like an odd concept nowadays. The only place he used to call "home" was the house his mother raised him in but that had been sold quite a while ago to help pay for her treatments and stay up in the North Pole. To think of the small, shared apartment as his home was different but not at all unwelcome.

"However, I cannot," he said, gesturing down to his leg with a nod of his head. Later, he might be able to limp his way home, usually after letting a few pain killers settle in if the day was stressful enough to agitate his leg more than it normally was. This, he thought, might count as something of a bit stressful. "Look, I can ask my master to leave and you and I alone for the rest of the day. Would that suffice?" Yuuta asked but he only lingered a second longer before getting up and heading out of the room to find his master.

"Hey, this," he coughed into his hand, the other one helping to hold him up by propping himself up with the door frame, "patient requested privacy. I can close up shop tonight if you want to head out for the day." The tall man watched in wait for the smaller, older man to reply, who only nodded with an amused look before moving to head out. With much haste, Yuuta returned to Shuai, almost falling into his seat doing so.

"I'm really sorry, but that is the best I can do," he told her, wanting to reach out again and hold her hands but resisting the urge. The last thing he wanted to do was push himself on to her when she was obviously in much distress. "Please, Shu-shu, explain what's happened. I want... to help." He sat there in his seat, waiting patiently for a reply this time. His eyes were fully of worry and concern, even looking frightened for her sake. It was almost the same feeling that liked to root itself into the core of his being each and every time he found a letter from his mother waiting for him, containing news for better or for worse. "Please," Yuuta begged.

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Anonymous

Jun 28, 2013 1:02:50 GMT -6

Shuai knew it was unfair to ask so much of Yuuta, but she needed to be home. It had been a stupid decision on her part to go right back to work as if nothing had happened to her, because something had happened to her and now she couldn’t help but quiver at imaginary sounds and shadows. She looked at Yuuta hoping the desperation in her tawny eyes would convince him to leave with her and console her in the safety of their home, but she could see the truth of the situation in his eyes and posture–she had unfortunately asked too much.

At first her hand flinched at his touch, but then the muscles in her fingers relaxed and melted into his. She listened to the truth in his words and believed that if he were anyone else he would leave, but the young woman could not help but let a few tears run down her face. She trusted Yuuta, but she couldn’t help but think that he valued his work over their friendship, or whatever they were, because even though she didn’t want to admit it, Shuai knew that they were something more than just roommates. She wanted desperately to say no; she wanted to force him to leave even if that meant risking their relationship. She wanted to be selfish, but she couldn’t bring herself to say anything. She couldn’t gauge her mood, and she was sure Yuuta noticed. He asked his question, which seemed to split her heart and mind in two because 1. it wouldn’t suffice, and 2. it would, sort of.

He didn’t wait for her answer and Shuai didn’t mind. She had no answer even though all she could picture was her bed. In his absence the chef considered getting up and leaving. She had already caused him so much grief and she didn’t want to cause more by sticking around. Shu-shu knew what she wanted to tell him, but she couldn’t tell him, especially not in the herbalry. Nothing was familiar or comfortable to her in the space, save for Yuuta. Isn’t that enough? her mind murmured. Isn’t just being near him enough?

Yuuta’s entrance into the room made Shuai jump and forget her thoughts. She settled herself back into her seat and wiped her cheeks with her right hand before Yuuta spoke. She appreciated that he was trying to help her and so she nodded her head to show her understanding, but she was still hurt, and he probably knew that. And then he begged her to speak to him. At first only her lip quivered as she raised her eyes to his face, but then her eyes locked on his and she couldn’t control herself. Her whole body started to shudder and she curled in on herself. The tears just ran and ran and ran.

“I’m s–sorry,” she whimpered pressing her forehead against her knees. She wanted to ask him to help her to bed, but then she remembered that she wasn’t home. ”I–I w–want to t–tell you Yuuta, but I can’t. I can’t. I can’t. I d-don’t know how.” She tried to find words, any words that could help him almost understand. ”I d–don’t know if I can be helped. My b–body’s not the same. Somethin’s wrong. I…” She stopped as she caught herself choking on her words. “I’m s–so s–sorry, Yuuta.”

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Last edit by Deleted: Jun 30, 2013 12:30:20 GMT -6

Anonymous

Jul 10, 2013 17:15:37 GMT -6

"Shuai..." he said softly as he watched her cry. He had never seen her like this before. True, they only saw each other very rarely due to their schedules but she always seemed so strong and sure of herself, traits needed to be able to spend time alone with him and not try to attack him from frustration. Yuuta wanted to repress his urges, but he did so in vain. He reached forward and pulled her into his arms. "Shhh," he whispered into her ear and nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck.

"Shu-shu... everything will be... everything is going to be fine," the man tried to tell her but his voice seemed to crack and he wasn't sure she understood him. "Don't apologize to me, Shuai," he told her as he pulled from the embrace even, though his arms still touched hers. "I want to help, but I can't know what to do unless you tell me. But if you can't, I'll help you anyways. Shuai, I..." he trailed off and cast his emerald eyes down.

"Shuai, I care for you. I want to make you happy. Tell me how and I will," he said, suddenly looking back up, tears forming in his eyes and he tried to blink them away. Yuuta leaned forward, placing his lips on her forehead, not know what else to do, not trusting his mouth to say the right thing.

ooc; ughhhhhhhhhhh so late and so lame. excuse this post ;A;

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