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Post by kiku on Nov 8, 2008 22:34:51 GMT -5
Daichi simply chose to ignore Kiran’s bitter comments. In this rare moment he stopped to think that, in this instance, it was better to shut his mouth rather than risk giving his opponent additional ammo. For, Daichi truly was grateful; alone, his great pillars of rock would have held as an equally ideal distraction… but he could not have weakened their strongest weapons so effectively.
But Daichi would have rather been caught dead than admit Kiran had added anything to this mission, even if it was obvious that he had. Because of this, Daichi stood in surprising silence, soaking in all the sounds, curses, and cries that Kiran’s ears witnessed with his arms crossed.
It was with a grim smile that Daichi acknowledged the enemy’s retreat, but then Kiran spoke, and Daichi glared at him through narrowed eyes.
“We should head back to Kiku?” Daichi inquired mockingly. “I don’t think so. I think you should just go. Get your stuff, don’t talk to her, and get the hell out. Best prevent any more damage you can inflict.”
He spoke with much bitterness, but he couldn’t help it. Kiku had always been and would always be his closest friend; he would not tolerate anything or anyone that would cause her to sacrifice her own happy future. And Kiran was probably the greatest danger he could imagine. He was like a match over a barrel of blasting jelly.
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Post by coldflame on Nov 12, 2008 21:04:25 GMT -5
Kiran stopped in his tracks when he heard Daichi’s words. Of course; Kiran should have known that he wasn’t getting off this easily, though he could hardly see why. Daichi’s prejudices were obviously snapped back into place as soon as this whole thing began. It was frustrating – infuriating even – that Daichi could like a person so easily and then immediately turn on him. Although Kiran could understand Daichi’s mistrust for a Fire Nation military member, it didn’t seem right that such judgment should be put on him so quickly after what he did to help save Kiku’s home. In that instant, Kiran's career could have been over with; hell, his life could have been over with. Not even a speck of gratitude shown in Daichi’s eyes and it frustrated Kiran to no end.
But what probably hit him the hardest were Daichi’s words. Another complication to he and Kiku’s relationship was this young, hard-headed soldier; Kiku’s best friend. There was that same part of him that knew Daichi was probably right and that, yes, Kiran should pack up his bags and go home. But that part of him was over; he couldn’t leave Kiku, because they made a promise together that they would work through this, through every complication. If anything, Kiran was sick of it and it made him even angrier at the thought of Daichi trying to dictate his life as well as Kiku’s, especially when Daichi didn’t know a single thing about how much he truly felt about Kiku.
Kiran sighed deeply and turned to face Daichi, his eyes glaring in an intense feeling of hopelessness, exhaustion, and frustration. Although his dripping, wet bangs concealed most of what was to been seen in his golden eyes, it was the sheer furrow of his brow that seemed to cast a dark shadow over his face. The mud that was smeared all over his body didn’t help his appearance much either and the rain only made his clothes stick to him like glue – he not only felt terrible, but he looked it as well.
His voice, however, was calm but tired and stressed; it was in that deep tone of his that sounded like he was trying not to loose his temper.
“Daichi, I’m not leaving Kiku. Even though you could be right – that I could screw her life up – I made a promise to her that I would stay. And in case if you couldn’t already tell, the last thing I would ever want to do is hurt Kiku.”
He turned to head back to Kiku’s house, but he added over his shoulder before walking away:
“Besides…Why should I give a damn about what you have to say when you don’t know a single thing about me?”
It wasn’t a question intended for an answer. Instead, he began trudging through the mud-filled road back to Kiku’s house, his back turned and vulnerable.
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Post by kiku on Nov 13, 2008 20:02:52 GMT -5
Daichi felt his jaw harden throughout Kiran’s brief rebuttal, while his fists similarly tightened at his sides. Kiran had made a few decent points, Daichi thought silently to himself – or at least they seemed decent on the surface. But Daichi knew how pathetic they truly were when one looked into them. (At least, that’s how he justified it.)
He made a promise? Well, good for him. But if he really loved Kiku, and yet knew that their relationship could be very dangerous to every state of her health… Why? If he really cared for her, wouldn’t it be more noble to just leave? True, he may have no intention for harming her… physically at least, but his existence was still harmful for many reasons - reasons that were plain for anyone to see. And if he left, sure, Kiku might be upset for a little while… but she would get over it just like all girls did over some breakup. Right?
And as for his last little smart-ass comment… Well. It just ticked him off.
Jamming his foot into the ground with swift accuracy, Daichi kicked up a risen trail of earth towards Kiran’s feet, and, without waiting to watch the inevitable stumble, kicked his foot into the earth at an angle, causing the ground underneath his opponent to shift and slide into one of the numerous trees.
“Regardless,” Daichi growled, stepping forward, his face grim and dripping with drops of the oncoming rain, “I’m not letting you stay.”
Meanwhile, Kiku looked out the window, an anxious little sigh slipping from her soft, pale lips. She rested her chin in the gentle crease of her palm, head tilted slightly to one side. She squinted, trying to see through the running, blobby raindrops that attached to the glass and to the trees and path beyond. Oh, where was he? Her stomach would not stop twisting in knots, her heart thudded, her mind went to dark places…
When it was obvious that it was growing much too dark and much too wet to see any slight figure that might wander forth, Kiku reeled back from the window, her face screwed up in frustration. Restlessly, her slender fingertips padded against the countertop in a senseless rhythm similar to that of the rain, while her head tilted down towards them as her shoulders rose up into a cringe. A wet drop rolled down her smooth cheek, but she wasn’t embarrassed; the others had retired to the living area. She had offered to stay back and clean up…
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Post by coldflame on Nov 17, 2008 13:59:16 GMT -5
At the first sound Kiran heard – the sound of breaking and shifting earth – he turned in enough time to see that Daichi was no longer on the defensive. Kiran stumbled back, trying to get out of the way, but the earth moved underneath his feet and flew him back with a force Kiran had not expected.
He was thrown into the thick trees and Kiran felt his back collide roughly against a tree; he then fell onto the ground and landed with all his weight on one shoulder. Kiran knew something was wrong from the moment he heard a crack in his bones. At first he felt nothing at all, but it soon became hard to breathe and his head was pounding thanks to the impact against the tree. His head rang loudly for a moment, and as he tried to pull himself up, he realized that he couldn’t move his arm. As soon as Kiran tried to move, his breath hitched again at a strange and painful twist in his collar – he groaned when he realized he couldn’t lift his shoulder and it was only more alarming when he realized he couldn’t feel much pain, but only the emptiness there as if he had no arm at all anymore.
Kiran huffed and sat up, clutching his shoulder with his good arm. One side of his face was smeared with mud now and he stared at Daichi with one eye open while the other shielded itself away from the dripping mud.
His expression was angry – what the hell was Daichi thinking?! Kiran had made no threat to hurt him and here Daichi was, attacking him with his back turned! It was cheap for one thing and Kiran knew that it was completely hard-headed; typical earthbender, he supposed.
But then…when Kiran looked up and could see the grim look in Daichi’s eyes and the hate targeted at him, he realized that perhaps this is what he deserved. Maybe he had it coming all along: a good beating for his selfishness. Kiran thought he could see a reason to have this happen to him, and in some strange way, Kiran wanted it. Deep down he always knew that getting pummeled by an earthbender was going to be a consequence for wanting Kiku and decided to take it willingly. So, he egged Daichi on even further…
He spit some mud out of his mouth that landed upon Daichi’s feet; he then glared back up at him determinedly and spoke in a firm, deep tone:
“I’m not leaving.”
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Post by kiku on Nov 17, 2008 21:53:51 GMT -5
Kiku was running now. Heart pounding like the merciless rain, mind racing like the bitter wind…
She was a little nervous to say the least. Not only was she disobeying a few direct orders, but, for all she knew, she was dashing headfirst into a war zone. She was afraid of getting caught, yes – by a stray fireball or a family member – but a more terrifying option was always there. That was why she was running in the first place.
Clutching her light cloak around her shoulders more firmly, Kiku skipped over a slimy, fallen branch, stumbling only slightly. She gasped, but only paused a moment. She could not stop; she had to know…
Soon it seemed as if she had been rushing around in dark, aimless circles for hours and hours, and she shivered, whining because of the cold and her intensifying frustration. She bit her lip; it would be stupid to cry out - so, so stupid…
Well, she had already run out of the house.
“Kiran!” She gasped, stumbling through the trees. Her weakness was obvious in her voice – it was broken and thick, on the verge of tears. Then she stopped, eyes widening, for she had just come to a giant, earthen wall, surrounded by several other jagged, unnatural formations jutting from the ground. Something had certainly happened here.
Then she heard it. A sick, horrible, familiar crunch.
Hands flying to her lips, Kiku suppressed a scream. She had been so consumed in her own thoughts, only hearing the constant, pattering rain…
Instinctively, she hunted for the source of the noise with her eyes, and it didn’t take long to spot two moving figures off a short distance away. Well, sort of moving…
It didn’t take her long to recognize the one on the ground. She dashed over to him with no hesitancy. She didn’t even care who was hurting him; she wouldn’t let them…
“Kiran!” She gasped, skidding into a kneel beside him. She took his face eagerly into her hands, stroking the mud from his cheek with her smooth palm, rusting his hair from out of his face. She spoke with pain in her voice. “Oh, Kiran, what’s happened…?”
Where had the crunch come from? That answer became obvious after only a little inspection. Dark, brown eyes widening, Kiku looked at how Kiran was carrying his arm. Oh, no…
There was a cough, and before Kiku could deduce an accurate diagnosis, she remembered that there was an enemy nearby. In a flash, she concluded this monster was a hideous heartless fiend… How dare he? How could he?
Then she looked up. It was Daichi staring at her with cold, grim eyes, lips pulled into a line, brow furrowed in disgust… Kiku shot up in one instant, standing defensively in front of Kiran, tears stinging in her eyes as everything clicked together.
His voice was as cold as his eyes.
“Move, Kiku.”
But, she would not, she could not. There were only a few things she could even think to say.
“What have you done! What is wrong with you!”
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Post by coldflame on Nov 20, 2008 18:15:34 GMT -5
The last thing Kiran would have expected to touch his face were Kiku’s gentle, but frantic fingertips; he was so sure that a few rough punches would be the thing to touch him first.
“Kiku…” Kiran murmured in surprise, wincing as she stroked away his hair. At first Kiran felt angry; angry that she came and stopped his deserved beating, but mostly angry because she had left the house (surely without permission) and put herself in danger. Even if most of the danger was gone, he didn’t want her outside to see any of this – she looked scared after all, her eyes moist and hands shaking until she turned to Daichi and confronted him.
Soon though, he could at least say he was a little relieved. As Kiran glanced back up at Daichi and could see the hatred and disgust raging in eyes, he wasn’t sure what might have happened to him if Kiku had not gotten here. It very well could have been worse and Kiran knew he was not much of a match against an earthbender…
Even with that look of hatred still in Daichi’s eyes, Kiran knew that he wouldn’t get far with a pounding when Kiku was standing in front of them now. And truth be told, Kiran did not want to get in a fight with Kiku standing by; it was the last thing she needed to see anyways.
So, pushing himself aside for now, Kiran huffed in pain as he hesitantly stood on his feet. His eyes were just as furious as Daichi’s, shooting him a dark golden look when he managed to stand. He gripped his shoulder with a worried intensity as he began to feel the pain more and more – the back of his head wasn’t feeling the greatest either, especially that now he was on his feet. Gently then, Kiran placed his hand on Kiku’s shoulder and urged her to leave. As much as Kiran would have loved to sit back and watch Daichi get vilified by Kiku, he thought that getting Kiku back home now would be the best idea. However, he knew that he was going to have to be added in the deal, because she wouldn’t leave without him now.
“Kiku, c’mon. You need to get home. I’ll come with you, alright?” He took her hand and urged her forward again. “C’mon…”
He suddenly began to realize that getting help for his shoulder was becoming more and more desirable with every pang in his collar and he was sure that this wouldn’t be the last that Daichi would hear from Kiku…
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Post by kiku on Nov 20, 2008 21:17:54 GMT -5
Kiku felt Kiran’s large hand on her shoulder, and she bit her lip, conflicted. On one hand, she knew that she and Daichi had some serious unfinished business to take care of; oh, she had never been so mad at him! How dare he injure Kiran like that after he was doing his best to protect her entire family? And he knew that she cared for Kiran. Instead of respecting her decision he was deliberately and violently violating her and her happiness, and without even confronting her about it first! Her anger was so immense it took her a few more seconds to find the words, but she took them. She had always been careful with the words she chose; she would not be misunderstood or beat down on this topic.
“Kiku,” Daichi had said, closing his eyes in calm exasperation. “He’s from the Fire Nation; he’s no good for you. Trust me; I know how this is going to end. You might be happy now, but you’ll be miserable in the long run. He can wreck you’re whole life. Even if he is diluted himself enough to say he loves you now, he could easily leave and never come back. You’re better just getting over him now.”
She felt Kiran take her hand then, and she remembered her other responsibility. Kiran was injured – and pretty badly from the sound of it. Her natural instincts were telling her to get out and get Kiran the help and care that he needed. But she wanted to leave Daichi with some parting words; it would be stupid to let his accusations hang in the air without reply, giving him the illusion that he had won or had made some kind of impression. So it was then that Kiku paused, breathing deeply and replying in a forced, calm voice.
“Daichi. Do you think I’ve never considered any of this?” It was a rhetorical question, but she let it hang in the air. Kiku was not in any way rash. She thought things through, and Daichi knew this better than anyone. And as Kiku prepared to continue, she felt her anger melt into exasperation.
“Kiran has always been a friend to me; he had made promises, and he has kept them. He has risked much to protect me and my family. I trust him.” Her voice was sad. “And you should too, Daichi.” She sighed softly. “I wish you would trust me. I love him, and for solid reasons. He loves me too; a blind person could see that. I can’t believe you would do something so heartless… Hurting a man with honest intentions? If you ask me, Daichi, I think Kiran shows more loyalty and nobility than you, the respectable earthbending solider you are.”
Her last words were strangely cold, tinged with obvious irony. She looked to the ground for a moment, before she remembered the warm hand in hers and squeezed it gently. Meanwhile, Daichi’s jaw had continued to harden, and, for once, was rendered a little speechless; as much as he had thought otherwise, it was a little difficult to sway Kiku’s opinion through arguing.
“Come on, Kiran.” She murmured softly, looking to Kiran’s injury with those shrewd, worried eyes. Swiftly, she noticed how his shoulder was sagging down and forward… and her next words were louder – angry for one person and worried for the other. “We need to get you home. I think your collarbone is broken.”
And squeezing his hand, she began to walk back toward the path, softly reminding Kiran to not raise the other arm.
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Post by coldflame on Nov 23, 2008 22:18:52 GMT -5
Kiran would believe it; a broken collar bone felt about right. His shoulder slouched and he held it with his good arm, while his hand that was attached to his limp arm loosely clutched onto Kiku’s hand. He could only walk slowly, because the pain in his head and collar was becoming more unbearable, not to mention that the rain still wasn’t easing up at all which only made him feel so much better.
It was only until Kiran was lying in a soft bed that he felt more relaxed. Mud was still stuck to his skin, but his armor, boots, and shirt had been stripped off. His pants were rolled up to keep the bed dry, but his head soaked the towel underneath his head (which was still pounding from the impact against the tree). His shoulder continued to wait unattended for; Kiku had left the room to go get the supplies she needed to do her job.
He laid there and closed his eyes every now and then at the peaceful aura the house had now. Before, it felt like a dark, ominous place to be; now that the danger was gone, it once again felt like the place he had always been used to. The rain pattered against the roof and the light of the lantern beside his bed kept the room steady with a nice, warm glow. He could hear the dull hum of voices as well – obviously he could sense Katsu’s gruff voice as well as Daichi’s frustrated one, but none of which sounded furious. He could hear Hana’s voice as well. She was probably helping to calm the mood, which as far as Kiran could hear, was being successful.
Though, for the next few moments, Kiran’s attention was pulled away from the sounds and the physical pain. Instead, his mind wandered as he tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling. Everything she had said to Daichi surprised him; he had never seen Kiku angry before. But it wasn’t just her tone that moved him – it was every word; just the fact that she stood up against Daichi and openly confessed their love in front of the earthbender made Kiran smile just a little.
He realized that he had been wrong, perhaps. Maybe he didn’t deserve any punishment at all, despite the selfishness that Daichi mentioned earlier. After what Kiku had said, Kiran believed that Kiku truly had no regrets about anything; it felt more reassuring to hear her say it again, mostly because she was telling it to a friend and not just to himself. Kiran regrettably knew now that, even though he might have started this whole thing, there shouldn’t be a punishment for loving someone. He felt incredibly stupid now, of course. But at the same time, he felt incredibly loved.
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Post by kiku on Nov 24, 2008 22:18:30 GMT -5
It had been a quiet walk home, Kiku thought airily as she reached for a small, slender bottle that rested on top of one of the lower shelves. There had been little to say, she knew, and she smiled. It was another one of those comforting truths; she and Kiran had some invisible bond that seemed to link their thoughts and emotions together. Even the few quiet murmurings of “watch your step” and “I’ll be back soon” were repetitive. He knew she cared for him, as she knew he was suffering. And it was because of this that she was bustling around in her storage, flittering about, rooting among herbs and bandages, creams and ice. It was familiar work, and Kiku was fast; though, a hint of unease still tinted her dark, intent eyes…
It was quiet now. Only the full, comforting thud of rain and hushed murmur of voices interrupted the peaceful silence, and even they seemed to only calm her further as she, light on her toes, flittered across the kitchen floor. Only her father’s distinct voice affected the otherwise steady thud of her pulse, for she clearly recalled the havoc coming home had ensued.
She had disobeyed, yes, but there were things – people – worth making sacrifices for, and one of those people was waiting for her just down the hall.
Dad and Daichi be damned, she thought sickly as a wave of desperation flowed through her. Kiran meant something to her and they were going to have to live with it. She needed him, and he needed her – now especially. This was their time together, his time to heal, and Kiku felt as if that point had been well established. Even Hana had chosen not to intrude; she had only smiled at Kiran, her wise, crinkly eyes almost chuckling: “You’re in good hands.”
Kiku was at the door now, and with little hesitation opened it, putting on a brave, gentle smile.
The look in her eyes was her hello, and she sat beside him in further silence, opening her small bag of supplies and getting to work.
Firstly, the diagnosis. She was already pretty sure about what was wrong, but a few simple tests would confirm it. Her words were soft, calm, and direct, questions relating only to the topic at hand:
“How high can you lift it? … Does it hurt? … Okay, relax. What about this? … Oh, I see; sorry. One moment…”
It was the normal routine, and there was something comforting about it. Her hands were moving, mind blank of everything that did not relate to her patient’s health. Still, knowing that she was helping kept a soft smile on her pale lips.
But her eyes were sad, wincing at any movement that caused him discomfort, closing a moment if she felt an ominous bump or cut. However, her hands remained productive, and Kiran’s shoulder was immobilized with a firm strap and sling in a matter of minutes. Her eyes, still calm but faint with sorrow, swept over him again. His collar had been functionally repaired, but he was still a mess. Mud splashed his cheek and neck, no doubt concealing a multitude of smaller injuries. Plus, it could not be comfortable.
So, taking a wet sponge and pail of water from the bathroom, Kiku began to gently caress Kiran’s face, washing away crumbs of mud and debris. Her eyes followed every motion of her hand, but never did her eyes fully meet his, nor did she feel the need to speak…
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Post by coldflame on Nov 25, 2008 22:55:51 GMT -5
Kiran rested in silence most of the time, not feeling the need to say anything much as well. He was grateful for Kiku’s swift diagnosis, merely replying to her simple questions with either a wince or small movement of his arm. It felt like he was in a haze for a moment and then next thing he knew, his shoulder was wrapped up all the way down his arm and thrown into a sling. He sighed, estimating how long he was going to have to stay like this. Spirits, he could hear his father’s angry voice now (after he would convince his father that he simply fell or something) telling him that it was reckless; his job will be slowed down immensely because of this. Looking back, Kiran still couldn’t believe he only got away with a broken collarbone and some cuts and bruises; after destroying nearly five or six Fire Nation tanks, he nearly shuddered at what would have happened to him if he got caught. Alright, so it was probably a stupid thing to do, but he didn’t regret it; he was thankful that Kiku was alright and that so was he. That was his plan and he was glad he stuck with it.
His eyes closed at this realization, but when he opened them, he was greeted with Kiku’s soft hands against his cheek and a wet sponge beginning to stroke away the mud caked on his face and neck. It felt wonderful to start feeling clean again, even if it was just a little.
He watched her silently as she did all this for him. His eyes were locked onto hers, even though she was not staring back into his own eyes. There was sadness in her expression, as if the reason for her not meeting his eyes would cause her more sadness. He only wondered what that sadness could be – guilt perhaps. He hoped she wasn’t blaming herself for this, but he knew that – with the worrisome tendencies that she had – there was a part of her that could not help but be guilty. He tried not to wince when she came along a cut underneath the mud on his face; but when he unconsciously did, he could see the cringe in her expression worsen every time.
The silence continued for a while; the tapping of rain on the roof dimmed every now and then, but the house was still moderately peaceful. Eventually, Kiran’s thoughts wandered and he began to worry about what Kiku was thinking. She still wasn’t looking at him in the eyes.
He spoke gently, fearing that perhaps if he spoke too loud, the air around them would no longer be in its peaceful place.
“Don’t be upset, Kiku…” he said, his soft eyes still upon her face, “…None of this was your fault. I know you’re worried, but you can at least look at me.”
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Post by kiku on Nov 28, 2008 13:32:48 GMT -5
At Kiran’s words, Kiku released a long, soft sigh, but her eyes still did not meet his. They only followed the slow, gentle motions of her hand as it swept the trail of water across his jaw and down the smooth curve of his neck. Still, her dark eyes reflected the pale sadness that she felt deeply inside – a guilt that was, apparently, more evident than she had thought.
“I really can’t help it, Kiran,” she murmured in a gentleness that matched his own. Slowly, she took her hand away and brought her other to the sponge, squeezing out the muddy water into the small pail beside the bed. The gentle patter of the water matched that of the rain; during this silence, her gaze rested there before it shifted. Calmly then, she finally met Kiran’s own stare.
“It is all my fault; without me, none of this would have happened to you.”
She tilted her head as she said this, as if gesturing to his face and all his acquired injuries. However, her eyes now latched onto his, never moving. The guilt found there was more intense now, as if her confession brought this rush of emotion closer to the surface.
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Post by coldflame on Nov 29, 2008 14:44:18 GMT -5
So she was feeling guilty. His brow furrowed at this a little, feeling frustrated that Kiku was blaming this on herself. Maybe in some retrospect she was right, but in reality she had nothing to do with his injuries. He stared at her hard for this, knowing that she was going to feel bad no matter what, but the last thing Kiran wanted was for Kiku to feel any sorry responsibility for his actions.
He sighed softly, his eyes hard on hers for a moment, before realizing he should watch his temper. Bursting out in the frustration he was already feeling wasn’t going to make Kiku feel better. Quickly then, he closed his eyes for a moment and smoothed his expression before looking back to her. He spoke firmly, but gently again:
“No, Kiku. Don’t try to twist this around and blame yourself, alright? I got hurt because I decided to go out there.”
Kiran’s thoughts wandered to Daichi, remembering that it was actually his fault and not Kiran’s. If that damn rock-head hadn’t attacked him, he wouldn’t be this way right now; everything would have gone smoothly and Kiku wouldn’t feel guilty. Oh, how it made him angry as he remembered the last few seconds before that rock lifted him into the air…
“Besides…” Kiran muttered deeply, glancing to the side, “In reality, its Daichi’s fault.”
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Post by kiku on Nov 30, 2008 17:09:18 GMT -5
Kiku felt her face flush – but not in its normal way. No, this was not a shy, insecure blush due to some sweet, flattering, or logical statement, but rather one instigated by frustration, maybe even anger. Even though part of her wanted to agree with Kiran, she found it truly hard to accept that Daichi was responsible for all the blame. Yes, he had hurt Kiran, and, yes, she disagreed and was horrified by his rash action… But, and perhaps this went along with living in the Earth Kingdom, she understood his point of view. He was a soldier, and, like her father, was programmed, more harshly than most, to see the Fire Nation as an enemy… And even before he had left for the army, his rants had been full of loathing of those who had endangered and brought misery to his people. It wasn’t fair, he had argued when he was still young, but Kiku still had yet to explain to Daichi that he hadn’t acted fair either…
“It’s not completely Daichi’s fault,” Kiku said with a bit of hurt present in her voice; like always, her anger evaporated within a few, brief moments. Her large, dark eyes stared, full of desperation, into Kiran’s; she simply longed for him to understand.
“He’s programmed to act this way; he’s always been protective of people he loves… Especially me.” She paused, finding something that he would have a hard time disagreeing with. “He doesn’t know you, and all he’s been told his entire life is that your people bring misery… Can you blame him for wanting me away from that?”
She paused, waiting for a reply, her eyes clearly adding, "Just give him a chance."
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Post by coldflame on Dec 2, 2008 21:36:49 GMT -5
Kiran didn’t want to admit it, but he could understand at what Kiku was getting at. And deep down, he already knew this himself; there was a part of Daichi that instinctively hated Kiran. It was probably the same effect in Kiran himself that was causing him to be so furious with Daichi in the first place. Besides, those desperate eyes and sad voice that Kiku was using on him struck his heart with some small guilt. Of course – he did at least need to realize that Daichi was an important part to Kiku life’s despite whatever he may do to him. He knew that well, actually; it was just harder to see after remembering the cold look in Daichi’s eyes after he struck him. He just changed so fast…
Kiran sighed as he looked away from Kiku’s sad eyes and nodded. “Yeah….yeah, I know,” he said, pressing the back of his head into the pillow. “Fine, I’ll give him a chance.”
He knew he would, even when it was situations like these that irked him terribly. However, just as he remembered Daichi, Kiran’s memory switched forward and remembered what Kiku had said to him in the rain. He wondered if her anger then was the only thing that really fueled her words. He knew that was probably not the case, but he wanted to know—to clarify it for some reason.
His eyes looked back to her and he paused for a moment, taking in her sad appearance before speaking. His voice was calm again, but it had a tint of admiration and curiosity.
“Then what you said to Daichi...Was it true?”
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Post by kiku on Dec 4, 2008 16:39:09 GMT -5
Kiku smiled at this question; she even released a soft, ringing chuckle. However, her dark eyes were soft and admiring rather than amused, and she left her hand drop to rest on his cheek for another moment. As she observed him silently, her lips melted into a softer, sincere smile, and her thoughts returned to that moment he described. She had been quite furious, and that energy, passion – so much more than she was used to – had coursed through her, certainly causing her to say those things so boldly… However, they were not untrue. They were her real feelings and thoughts put to words, forced out because of the circumstances. Those words had always been there, just had never been previously expressed.
“Of course it was, Kiran,” Kiku murmured, brushing her fingertips carelessly across his cheek, then to his neck. His skin was much cleaner now, and warmer; though, she would certainly encourage a complete bath later on. Still, she found it more appealing now to touch his face, and it was easier to look into his eyes with little guilt… Her smile broadened a little, but her voice became more hushed and gentle with her next words.
“I told you I loved you, Kiran,” She murmured, and her heart still jumped. However, her fingers remained calm as they traced senseless patterns over his skin. “And I mean it…”
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