Shtiya smiled in a mild manner. "I believe it's important to do something that makes you happy," he said. That was where he differed greatly from his father — his refusal to agree to an arranged marriage had been a large part of their falling out, secondary to his sexuality. Shtiya's father believed people should live the lives they were supposed to live and fall into rigid and traditional roles. Any deviation was seen as undesirable and not to be tolerated.

"You must get this all the time, but how do you like the City in comparison?"

Shtiya shrugged. "It's m-m-m-more diverse, and I l-like that," he said honestly, "b-but I do miss s-—--ome things about home." He smiled. He missed the cold weather and the normal, Water Tribe food. Well, he missed not having to always cook for himself, anyway. "I l-like living alone, though," he said after a few moments, eyes sparkling. "I n-n-n-never had my own s-——-pace before, and it's n-nice to only answer to m-myself and be sur-—-rounded with my own things." He cherished his little rooms in the back of The Apothecary, neat and tidy and smelling of freshly dried herbs.

The apartment in the back was really the apartment upstairs — the entrance was tucked into the back hallway of The Apothecary. The upstairs was a small apartment with a living room and kitchen combined, one small bedroom, and one bathroom. It was the perfect size for a petite young man living all alone. Even his meager possessions filled it up just fine! The bedroom always smelled like fresh lavender and Shtiya's face was serene just thinking about his beloved home.

"Are you here with your family?"

The petite Waterbender almost choked on his tea. Talk about disturbing his serenity! "Ah — no," he said with conviction, "I'm n-not here with anyone. I'm alone." He smiled and shrugged. "My f-family and I don't get along," he said honestly. "My..... father d-disagrees with my lifestyle." It was the politest thing to say. After all, he wasn't about to blurt out to this woman that he liked boys and had been kicked out over it. That was over-sharing! Shtiya looked at the phonograph.

"I love music," he said fervently, a moment later. He played guitar himself, and never stuttered when singing. Not that he'd been performing anywhere lately! He mostly played for himself as a soothing relaxation... but he had played with friends before, for fun. He missed it. Hoshi seemed liked she enjoyed music, too.

"D-don't feel badly," Shtiya said kindly, putting a hand on one of hers. "M-my f-—-amily and I have been this w-way a long time. It's okay." He smiled. The young man knew that not all families were like his. He knew that not every parent would have slapped their son for kissing another boy, just as he knew that many people these days rejected arranged marriage. He wasn't in the minority with his opinions, not really, even if he felt that way some times. Hoshi's discomfort was clear. Perhaps she'd never been faced with such a situation? Her blushing and rambling and eagerness to change the subject probably meant that she herself hailed from a very happy family. That was wonderful for her, and he wanted to soothe her. She was going on now about music, so the Waterbender nodded as appropriate.

"Do you play an instrument?" she asked curiously.

"Hm?" Shtiya looked up from his teacup. "Oh! Y-yes! I play guitar." He grinned. "N-not for anyone but myself, these days." He used to play for friends all the time, when he was much younger. In his teens, since he'd lost the few friends he'd had, he had really only played for himself... himself and the one friend he had, before he kissed him and got caught. The young man shrugged. "I love it. Esp---ecially f-folk music! Learning s-s-s-songs from new cultures and all." If his guitar weren't stashed in his bedroom at home, he'd offer to play for her. Maybe she could teach him some Earth Kingdom folk songs.

"I've always wanted to try playing the violin, but between earthbending lessons, schooling, and learning to take over the shop, there was just no time. I think it's too late to learn now, but Jin Ho says —"

"Oh y-you should!" he agreed quickly. This Jin Ho was obviously a dear friend to her, if not her very serious romantic interest. "W-why not? It's fun to l-—--earn new things, isn't it?" He paused before setting down his cup. "Tell me about your Jin Ho." That would be a sure way to have her forget her embarrassment and talk to him about her life. It seemed like a great idea.

Shtiya liked learning about new people and their lives. Patient history was one of his favourite parts of being a healer! He leaned his chin in his hand, rubbing idly at the wrist. The bandages were uncomfortable after a full day, and he couldn't wait to take them off when he got home.

Shtiya laughed a little and nodded. Of course he didn't mind playing! He wished he had the guitar with him at that moment — he'd play for her right then! He smiled gently as she blushed and stammered a little as she began to tell him about the police officer in question.

"I just wasn't his type. ... I was ... really shocked, too. It took a while for me to be able to see Jin Ho again."

It sounded like that had been a very emotionally trying experience for her. She went on to say that they had a close friendship again, but the Waterbender was willing to wager that she needed a few more friends. It was very hard to stay friends with someone one was in love with! Shtiya knew that from personal experience, and he hadn't liked it very well. Hoshi probably needed a good shoulder to cry on and a good listening ear. He was perfectly capable of providing both of those things. He nodded sagely, still listening and drinking his tea as she continued.

"He's been so busy with work, he's not even had time to see his boyfriend, much less me---oops!"

Ah. Boyfriend. Well, that explained why she had leaned on the word 'type' when talking about this Jin Ho. Well, it was a sensitive subject. Or at least, Shtiya knew it could be. Not everyone was so closed-minded, but one could never be sure and the healer was inclined to believe that more people were against it than were for it. She seemed horribly embarrassed to have let her friend's orientation slip, however, and immediately begged him not to tell anyone.

Shtiya just smiled. "D-d-d-don't worry," he said calmly, "j-—-ust like my p-patients, whatever my f-f-f-—--friends tell me is safe with me." While he knew he could have said 'it's okay, I like boys too', they were a bit early in their friendship for that. Shtiya didn't mind talking about himself, but he also didn't like divulging some information unless specifically asked. It was safer that way. He kept his slim brown fingers wrapped around the warm cup, stifling his coughing in his sleeve. The herbs were working to suppress the cough well enough, but nothing was perfect. When he went home he knew he could just use some water to restore balance, but he preferred to rely on the herbs he gave customers. It was an ethical and moral point.

"So w-what do you l-l-like to do for f-—--un?" he asked, changing the subject away from her dear Jin Ho for a while. It was better she focus on and talk about herself, in his opinion. Selfishness was good for those who didn't usually practice it. In a way, Shtiya used listening more than any other skill.

Shtiya nodded gently as Hoshi told him she hadn't had time to do things for fun. She was obviously very busy working in the restaurant and worrying about her emotional connection with this Jin Ho. It sounded very much as if she needed to get out of her own head more often and spend time not doing things related to work. He wondered idly if Hoshi would like to come over for dinner or go out to listen to music. Not that he knew much about where to go out, but there was a little cafe with an open mic night that he knew about. It was a low-key, fun time, and not very expensive. Heck, if he had a friend to support him, Shtiya even thought he might be willing to perform himself!

He nodded when she mentioned her co-worker. It sounded like she had fun with her, but Shtiya wasn't sure how relaxing teaching someone things could be. When she said they'd gone to a Pro-bending match together, the Waterbender smiled. Now that sounded more like recreation!

I am crazy about probending. I just haven't had much time to be... active, I guess, in the probending world."

What a common hobby probending turned out to be! It seemed almost everyone he met in Republic City was a fan. Personally, Shtiya thought of bending as either an art or a means to an end — he hadn't really considered it as a sport. Probending failed to hold his interest, as he had never been one to be interested in the fighting styles of bending. All he cared for was healing.

"So what do you like to do, Shtiya? Do you like probending too?"

"Oh," said the Waterbender, shaking his head a little, "n-no. I d-don't f-f-f-f-find bending very interesting. I... I p-play guitar and g-g-garden and c-come up with my own herbal m---edicines." He smiled. "I'm a v-very ah, qu-—--iet person." He liked spending time at home and drinking tea and reading books. He liked tending to herbs in his windowboxes. The slender young man shrugged. "It's okay if you s-say it's girly," he said quickly, realizing how odd he sounded. What kind of guy liked plants and music and staying home? "I get that a lot. I, um. I l-l-l-like c-comic books," he added, somewhat lamely, blushing. He looked down into his teacup, a bit embarrassed.

She sounded so surprised that he made his own medicines. "W-w-well yes," said Shtiya, "I k-keep research and I've s-—-pent years studying herbs to learn their effects." He sounded a bit defensive. So what if it were a bit unconventional for a Waterbending healer to use herbal medicine? He was certain that his theories about the combination of methods providing best outcomes were right. All he needed was some time to practice and prove it! Shtiya was very, very serious about this aspect of his life. He thought about it all the time.

When she said she'd never read comics, the young man shrugged. He loved them, personally — all kinds! Action, adventure, fantasy, romance... he even liked naughty ones, provided both love interests were male. Of course that information was private! Shtiya would never tell someone he'd just met something like that. "M-maybe you'd like them," he suggested. "It's n-nice to lose yourself in a s-s-story." He suggested a few titles, mostly romances meant for girls. A few of them were quite popular, even, and one was about a girl learning to cook. Surely Hoshi would enjoy that!

"I don't think that at all. It sounds very satisfying and relaxing."

Bless her for her generosity of thought and understanding. Shtiya smiled pleasantly, pleased by her answer. He ran a gentle hand through his hair, testing for dampness. It was mostly dry, despite the thickness. He carefully tied it back in a loose tail at the nape of his neck, silky and black.

"If someone you liked seemed to want to tell you something, but kept changing the subject suddenly, or telling you to never mind, would you be worried?"

Pausing in his normal, delicate way, Shtiya wrapped long fingers about his teacup. He was a very poised person, graceful and small. He seemed to do everything with precision, even stop to think. "I'd l-l-l-likely try to f-find out what was wrong," he said, after a few moments. "S-—-ometimes when something is b-bothering us we need to have it c-c-coaxed out." He smiled. "You s-seem concerned about your fr--iend." No doubt it was her Jin Ho. He seemed to be the only friend she'd really mentioned, after all. Shtiya sipped his tea for a moment, allowing her to reply by using silence.

"My... my friend has been acting very strange, lately. He wants to tell me something, he says, but before he says whatever it is he becomes irritable and the conversation goes nowhere."

The Waterbender leaned his chin in his hand, eyes bright. Shtiya was a very thoughtful and quiet young man, and he was contemplating what she had said. Perhaps her friend was wishing to impart something very emotional to her? "S-—--ometimes we have d-d-difficulty talking about th-things that are very d-dear to us," he offered. "It may t-t-t-take some t-time for him to come 'round." Hoshi seemed genuinely concerned, which was sweet of her. But the healer thought it best she be reminded that one person can only do so much! "I'm s-—-ure that your h-heart will reach him, if you just be yourself. M-m-maybe he j-just needs to know you're th-—-ere."

Hoshi remained quiet for a while, but silence didn't bother Shtiya. It was normal to him, and felt comfortable. He had always thought that true friends were those who felt no discomfort when sitting in silence with each other, and so he made no move to say anything more. There wasn't a need, anyhow. When the record finally skipped, Hoshi seemed jolted out of a reverie.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. That was rude of me! I apologise for burdening you with my troubles this much. How do you like your tea?"

Shtiya smiled sweetly. "It's lovely," he said. The tea was really perfect. He sipped it again, clearly enjoying it. "Th-thank you." The Lotus Cafe seemed to have perfected the art of tea. He hadn't been anywhere that had such a clear liquor before! The brew was perfect. Idly he wondered if they might consider a partnership in selling medicinal blends. He could certainly use the extra money, and he knew his teas were good. He even put an herb in to sweeten them!