Grand Re-Opening

Inia looked at him and saw the unease cross his face. She gave a reassuring smile and nodded. “I know you do. I believe it’s for protection.” She knew it was mainly protection for himself because getting close was dangerous. Finishing her  coffee she set it next to her and looked over him.  “Do you want to try to smoke? I’ll bring you the ashtray if so.”She didn’t want to do anything that might cause him to hurt his head again.

Shin nodded his head. “Yeah, maybe it’ll help me calm down.” He grabbed one of the cigarettes and fumbled with the lighter for a moment before lighting the cigarette. He stuck it between his lips and inhaled slowly, closing his eyes. “Yeah, that does feel better.” He opened his eyes again and looked at Inia. “So, uh… what kind of person am I? I guess I’ll probably figure that out, but it’s just really weird not knowing who I am.”

She set the ashtray on the coffee table in front of him. Sitting on the table next to it she thought for a moment trying to figure out the best thing to tell him. What kind of person was he? Well she was still trying to figure that out herself. There were so many different sides of him that she’d seen she didn’t really know which one was real anymore.

Considering it a moment she looked down to her gloved hands and thought a moment. Ye.s.. she was wearing her gloves and her scarf... if he couldn’t remember anything there was no point in starting the questions over the scars ... at least that was her thoughts. “Well...you are a confident person, and you know your business really well. You are.. charismatic but very cautious. You do have a little paranoia but you know how to treat a woman. You’re a smooth talker and very calm and collected. Though you can have a temper. You’re loyal to your boss and dedicated to your job.”

Shin watched her a moment and felt the gentle touch of her hand on his head. He smiled at her; though, there was confusion in his eyes. He wanted to know who she was. Not just her name, but all about her. Why did she help him so much? What was she like? He grimaced in pain and stopped thinking of the questions he had. “Warm,” he answered. He seemed to snuggle further into the blankets at that. “Confused. Hurting.” He gave another grimace. “I’m glad I’m here, though. It’s really hard and really strange waking up not knowing where you are and how you got like this.” He gestured to himself. “I guess I get hurt a lot. But it feels… safe here.”

He was distracted moment by the delicious aroma coming from the kitchen. His stomach growled. He wondered if he had dinner. For that matter, he wondered about the other meals, too. He couldn’t remember that morning or that afternoon. He couldn’t remember his life. The distress in his face increased, and it seemed more and more he was clinging to the blankets as if for security. 

Inia watched him carefully as he moved. Hearing him talk she smoothed her hand over his hair. “Shh shh. It’s okay. You are safe here Shin.” She smiled gently. “You are always safe here.” She said with a nod and moved to look over him again giving a cursory check of his injuries. Hearing his stomach growl, she wondered if he’d eaten. When the last time he ate ....  “I have somebroth and rice on the stove. Are you hungry? Maybe whwe can eat and I can answer any questions?” Or at least she’d try. Shin kept a lot of things about hismelf to himself. But there were certain things she knew... a slight selfish part of her wanted to take advantage of this. How good it would be to beable to keep him.. but that wasn’t fair... Fair or not it was tempting. Disappearing into the kitchen she came back with two big bowls of rice drowning in the rich broth- and a couple of cups of coffee. Waitressing had paid off when it came to balancing. Hsetting her own bowl down on the coffee table and the coffee she held his out ot him.  “My name is Inia.” 

There was a smile- one that was familiar it quelled her fears only momentarily when he grimaced again. “Okay… here… can you hold this on your head while I try to fix your arm?”

He gave another nod. “Yeah. The fire feels nice.” She said that name again. Shin. That must be his name. “Y’know, I had forgotten my name, too, until I came here again.” He winced when she started dabbing at his head with the clean rag. “It’s nice to know what it is again…” He held the rag to his head as she instructed. “Could you tell me your name? I’m sorry. I know you must be someone very important to me, but all I remembered was this place and your face and that you could help.”  Shin was sounding weaker. His hand started to slip from his head. “I feel really… dizzy.” His voice kind of faded there at the end, and he slumped forward until he fell into Inia’s lap, spilling the bowl of water that was there. It was probably no wonder he had passed out with as much as he had been bleeding.

Inia looked up at him and she answered his question very softly giving him her name as she stopped cleaning his arm to watch him. She tried to catch him before he fell completely over but didn’t manage to do it. She carefully shifted him over to lay him on his side. Getting up she hooked her hands under his arms and drug him over to the couch the best she could and managed to maneuver him up onto it. She popped his cheek lightly trying to wake him up. “Come on..” she moved to start sewing up his arm quickly. “Shin, you need to wake up. Please.”

Shin put an arm around her shoulder. She was small. He tried not to lean too much weight on her, but he still felt weak. “Right. Okay.” He let her help him up the stairs. Sitting by the fire helped him feel a little better, less cold. It also made the urge to sleep that much more powerful. His eyes started to droop. Then, they popped open again when the woman told him to stay awake.

Shin gave a slow, careful nod of his head because his head was killing him. Though, he hoped not literally. “Yes… the alphabet.” He recited it all the way through, just to make sure. He was pretty sure he could count to thirty, too. 

“I can count. I promise,” he said, and he shot a smile at her. Then, he grimaced in pain again.

Inia listened to him recite the alphabet as she brought back over a pair of pajamas that would fit him. She moved to sit on her knees next to him with a bowl in her lap- the clean rag squeezed out before she started cleaning his head. “Are you getting warm, Shin?” She wanted to make a point of keep using his name. Keep talking to him- keep him awake. She didn’t know what was going to happen or what had happened. 

There was a smile- one that was familiar it quelled her fears only momentarily when he grimaced again. “Okay... here... can you hold this on your head while I try to fix your arm?”

Shin only gave a slight grimace from the bruising. “It doesn’t hurt that much. It’s mostly my head… and my leg and arm kind of hurt, too.” He seemed to blush again when she told him she’d need to get him out of the wet clothes. He understood why, of course, but it’s just… He barely understood everything else. “Okay. Yes.” He glanced around, then noticed the stairs. It didn’t look like there was too many of them. “Maybe… maybe I can get up the stairs.”

He blinked when her hands were on his. He glanced up at her, looking her in the eyes. It struck him that she had really pretty, soft, golden eyes. He wished he knew more about this woman. He had a lot of questions, but… He grimaced again and moved to put a hand to his head. She told him not to think too much. He nodded his head. “I’ll try not to… Thank you for helping me. I… I trust you.”

What choice did he have, after all? She was all he knew, and he didn’t know very much. She was willing to help him, and that was all that mattered right now. 

She looked over his head and moved to stand. “Here... put your arm around my shoulder to steady you. We’re goig right up the stairs and then towards me okay?” she said very softly. He didn’t remember anything that terrified her but she couldn’t let him see it. The stairs weren’t so hard to navigate and she held the door open with a foot seeing if he could go in. What had happened to him?  Guiding him over to where the fire was and the blanket she’d been sitting in she carefully moved to help hims it down. “I’m goign to bring you dry clothes and start sewing you up. Stay awake though. Do you know the alphabet? Can you count to thrity?”

“Okay,” Shin said, and he sat on the couch. He did feel tired, worn out, and just… sleep did sound very nice. He forced himself to stay awake as the woman instructed. He noticed she was starting to unbutton his shirt. His face turned red a moment, and he started to stop her. Was this normal?

He thought about it a little more and put his hands down and stopped blushing. She had tended to him before, right? She had probably done this a lot of times. He wondered how he kept getting injured so much. His head throbbed with pain, and he gave another grimace. His torso appeared to be rather bruised, but there was no sign of any bleeding, and he seemed to be breathing normally, if a bit more shallow than usual. His skin was a little pale. “It’s raining and kind of cold outside. It’s dark,” Shin told her. These questions must be important, right? She was trying to help him. This was part of it. He wanted to help her help him. “I don’t really know where I am…” He concentrated, and it made his head hurt all the more. “Somewhere… in Republic City? I just… um… I remembered a little bit… that you could help me, so I came here.”

Noticing the blush she knew something was wrong then. No crude remark or lame attempt at an innuendo. Even when he was in pain he still tried to keep those going. “I’m going to press gently on your ribs if something hurts tell me okay?” She said telling him what she was doing this time.  Nothing appeared to be broken as she tested them gently. “I’ve got to get you out of these wet clothes so you don’t get sick.. do you think you can make it up the stairs?” She asked speaking slowly and clearly as she squatted down in front of him. Fear was freezing her chest but she couldn’t pay attention to that now. She had to make certain he was okay. This came first. “I have a pair of pajamas for you and I need to warm you up and sew up your wounds.” She said softly her hands resting on his. “I will take care of you oka Don’t think too much. You are in republic City we’ll work out the details later.”

sister-equalist

The storm was rumbling and rolling on outside and Inia had found herself curled up in a blanket in front of the fire with a good book and a nice warm cup of tea. It was a good night. If she had nice company it would be better but she could make do with the fantasy man in her book that she could giggle and fawn over with reckless fangirl abandon.

Broken from her bodice ripping reverie, she looked towards the door then to the clock. Who would be knocking at the door at this time of night in this time of weather. She only thought on that for a few seconds before she was fighting to untangle herself form the blanket and bolting downstairs towards the door. If someone was knocking  at a time like this then it had to be an emergency.

Not expecting him of all people she blinked up at him as she threw the door open.” Shin!” He was bleeding and he was soaking wet and there was a look in his eyes that was very off. “Oh spirits.. get in here come on. OUt of hte rain. “First htings first she needed to get him out of the wet clothe in front of the fire and stitched up..

He gave her a pained look of relief. It was nice to see a familiar face, even if he couldn’t put a name to that face. And it was nicer still that what few memories he had of this woman had proven to be accurate. She wanted to help him. That was good. She had called him Shin. Shin. Was that his name? He grimaced, feeling a searing pain in his head.  He followed her inside and let her lead him. He shivered, feeling cold. He felt like he might pass out. Possibly again. He had woke up in a ditch, after all. “I think I need to sit down,” he said, his voice weak.

“Yes...” Instead of attempting to lead him up the stairs just yet she led him over to the sitting couch in her studio.” She moved to look over him before kneeling in front of him. “Stay awake. Just for a little bit okay?” Her hands were already going to unbutton his shirt .”You’ve got to stay awake for me.” She’d already noted the injury to his head. What had happened to him!? He looked so messed up but she knew she probably couldn’t call a healer and even if she did there was a very good chance she wouldn’t be able to buy off silence for whatever the heck he’d done to get himself in to this mess. 

“Talk to me. Tell me what is it doing outside? Is it daylight or is it dark?” Peeling his over shirt off she started tryign to look over him to see if his trunk was injured any

“You don’t need to thank me,” Shin said, holding her close. She felt good against him. Comfortable. Warm. He didn’t deserve to be here with her like this.. holding her close and her telling him the most intimate details of her personal life. It was a miracle she let him be here. He leaned in when her hand cupped his jaw and her thumb brushed his cheek. He gazed into her eyes again and felt that ache in his chest when he saw unshed tears there. Was it just the memory of what had happened? 

Inia placed a soft kiss on his lips. Soft but… also powerful. Something about the kiss sent his heart soaring in a way that felt too good, too out of control. He pulled away a little bit, nervous. His palms sweating. He didn’t know where that had come from. He needed to pull it together. Maybe it was just a lingering side effect of the truth serum. He pulled away from her the slightest bit and breathed deeply. 

Then, he pulled her close again. “Hey, there’s no rush. I’m not really hungry right now.” He smiled at her. “All that tea…” He caught her hand in his and hoped she wouldn’t notice how clammy they were. “Let’s just stay like this for a little bit, hm? It’s nice… isn’t it?” 

He sighed and leaned back in the couch. “It helps, doesn’t it? This? The contact? Makes you think… if I can be held like this, if I can enjoy this moment, I can’t be all bad, can I? I can be gentle and nice. I can make someone else feel good. I’m human. I’m okay. You’re okay, Inia,” Shin said, his voice soothing and soft. It wasn’t the kind of voice that he used often. In fact, he could probably count on one hand the number of times he had talked to someone in a soothing manner.

It didn’t get past her that he’d pulled away. Maybe that kiss shouldn’t have happened. Maybe with all of the things that were said... and the truth serum...perhaps that was a bad Idea. It wasn’t well received. She didn’t want to take advantage of him in that moment. When he caught her hand in his after pulling her close she couldn’t help but notice that he was a little on the clammy side.  

It was nice. It was very nice. It was also oh so dangerous. She knew how much the next morning would hurt. But... for now she was going to enjoy this. It wasn’t often  she got to spend time with him like t his... just talking and holding each other. This innocent contact that wasn’t guiding to, leading to or demanding more. 

She couldn’t help but smile as she listened to him, her lips pullig into a very kind and understanding smile. It was her turn to bring his hand up and kiss his knuckles. “You aren’t all bad..” She nodded. “You have a good heart.. it’s just very very guarded and for good reason. You can be kind and gentle ..and soft and caring when you want to be.” She nodded and rested her cheek agianst his hand. “And at least here, you are safe. No one will know any different.”  And that was the truth. She’d fight tooth and nail to protect him and she’d fought so hard already to make her home a safe place- not only for him but for herself as well and any of her friends that needed some place to hide for a few days.  Letting his hand go she shifted to rest her head on his chest, her arm curling across him. 

“Don’t worry. I prefer you,” Shin said, lowering his voice slightly. He was glad to hear that she had come to terms with her scars, but he wasn’t entirely convinced about the closing the doors to the past bit. He had a hard time doing that himself, at least not without copious amounts of alcohol, and even then… Then again, if anyone could close the doors to their past, it would probably be Inia. She was strong… much stronger than he could ever be. He noticed she was looking at him, and his blue eyes locked with her golden ones. 

How are you feeling? That was what she had asked him. How was he feeling? It was a complicated question. After hearing her story, he felt somewhat somber. It had hurt to hear what had happened to Inia all those years ago. He felt strange because he didn’t want to let her go. He felt like he wanted to protect her, to turn back the clock and make her feel human and wanted every time she hadn’t. He felt a newfound sense of respect for the woman before him, and he felt small… because he knew he wasn’t worthy of any respect from her and should have never been allowed to so much as touch her. He felt angry at her father and angry at himself for indulging his curiosity, truth serum be damned. 

He felt a stronger connection to her, more drawn to her than he ever had before… and it felt all at once unfamiliar and familiar to him. It was the familiarity that scared him. He was afraid because he knew he couldn’t let this continue, he was getting too, too close… and the most frightening thing was a part of him wanted that closeness, even though, he knew it was wrong. It was unfair. Inia deserved better. Inia deserved to be safe. Safe from him. Safe from the Triple Threats. Safe.

He felt stupid. So very, very stupid. If he had kept his distance like he was supposed to, this would have never happened. He could have gone his whole life not knowing what had happened to Inia, and he would have been fine. And she would have been fine. And it would all be fine. But now, he knew. And things were different. He was scared. And stupid. What was even more stupid was that he was putting his stupidity, fears, and anger at himself on the back burner. Because right now, the emotional part of him that said none of that was important right now was overruling the rational part of him that said, it was very important and for Inia and his own good.

It wasn’t important because Inia was right here. He could be with her. Just for a moment. Just for a moment, he could pretend that they were going to be okay. For a moment, maybe, he could give himself to her. And maybe it would be enough. And maybe it wouldn’t. But it was all he could do.

“I feel-” Shin started, but he didn’t finish when all of the complicated feelings were soon overwhelmed by a powerful, basal urge.

“Like I have to pee,” he said, with a groan. He squirmed out from underneath her and went to the bathroom.

When he returned, he wrapped his arms around her again. “I think I should stay,” Shin told her. For a brief second, his words scared him because he wasn’t sure what he meant. And then, he got control of himself. “I’m sure by the time morning comes, the truth drug should be out of my system.”

Then, he knew the truth serum was actually out of his system because that was a lie. That wasn’t why he wanted to stay at all. Shin brought Inia’s hand to his lips again. He started rolling down her sleeve, and he kissed her wrist.

“Thank you for telling me about your scars,” Shin told her. He wasn’t sure if he should thank or not. He would, no doubt, regret all of this later. But right now, he could pretend that he wouldn’t. “You really are a strong woman, Inia. Strong… and beautiful.” He kissed past her wrist and down her arm a little ways. He stopped kissing her and looked up, back at her golden eyes. 

He felt another ache in his chest. He was going to have to disappear on her after this. He was going to drown himself in women, booze, and the job… try to forget her and her story. He knew he wouldn’t be able to, of course. But maybe this time he could stay away. For both their sakes. He looked away and kissed her hand again. It wasn’t the time to think about that right now.

It was clear the gears were turning in his head. That much was obvious... she hadn’t meant for the question to be so loaded. Really she wanted to simply know if the truth serum was still eating into him. Her question but have been received in a much different way given the silence... then he started to say something but it turned into having to pee. She couldn’t help but laugh at that when he disappeared to the facility. Her own mind started to turn.

There were ways he could use all of that against her and she knew it. He could use the fear that fire caused, or the threat of a beating... not by his hand but by someone elses he could throw it back to her that not even her parents wanted her.  If he ever  got truly pissed off at her he could turn her in for murdering her father..

Her stomach twisted and she found herself almost reaching for er gloves. She needed to hide away. She needed to cover up. She was vulnerable now...vulnerable and exposed by her own doing.  The only reason her hand didn’t get the gloves was that he had returned and pulled her against him again. He felt like he needed to stay. ...

He felt like he needed to stay.. Those words, while such a simple sentence, were so complicated. and then he explained. OF course he had to explain so that she didn’t misunderstand his meanings.  He would never truly stay. He would never be there for her like she was for him and she knew this. IT hurt, it really hurt but she knew it. And she accepted it...as much as  she accepted her scars and her past if that carried any weight at all.....

“Thank you for listening...” She’d told her story, though in a little more detail, to others but they never seemed to hear. Watching as his lips moved over her wrist and her arm she felt for him. She wanted him so horribly. Not in the way that he would want her of course. But she wanted him completely. To be hers, and only hers. To try to make him see that there was good in the world despite everything. But that was something that was impossible. To have him completely he would want her just as much in return. And she knew that there was really very little of him that truly wanted her. He would pull a disappearing act again after this. They’d talked too much. He’d said too much. This very possibly would be the last time she saw him. And that hurt, she fought and hoped that the tears didn’t dust her eyes. Leaning over her hand gently cupped his jaw, thumb brushing his cheek. 

Leaning up her lips pressed scarcely against his, soft, tender... and needy. But not needy in a way that he’d recognize.She let her lips gently linger against his before she pulled away her eyes cast down. “I should start on supper then..”

She leaned against him and allowed him to comfort her. She was trying hard not to tear up- it was hard to talk about but she was NOT about to cry in front of him. She wouldn’t. Taking a deep breath she leaned up and kissed his cheek softly. “You want to know why my mother left?” She cocked her head to look at him. “BEcause my sister was a firemender…I should have been a water bender.”

It was a strange feeling that warmed his chest when Inia kissed him on the cheek. He frowned at what she said next. This was more unfamiliar territory to him. His parents hadn’t really left him, after all. It was more the opposite, really. He had left them. The other thing was he didn’t know what it was like to have started out as a non-bender. He developed his waterbending at a young age, as most waterbenders did. 

He was, vaguely (especially since after losing his bending), aware of the prejudices non-benders faced, of course, but he couldn’t really say he understood it all, even though he wasn’t a bender anymore himself. 

“That doesn’t make any sense,” he finally said. “You are who you are.” Then, he added: “Fuck your mother.” 

“My sentiments exactly but I’d prefer if you didn’t.” She said with a small lilt of teasing in her voice. She reted her head back down on his shoulder. “But like I said.. I came to tears with my scars a long time ago. And I’ve closed all the doors from my past about them.” Looking up her gold eyes looked over him. “How are you feeling?” She didn’t know if the serum was still affecting him- though some of the things he said she wasn’t really certain.  He hadn’t jumped up to take a leak for a little bit and that was a good sign.

Glancing up to him she looked down. “After he burned my legs… I ran away. I was.. ten I think.. But because he was so important and such a big contributor to the police department, they were bought off. They didn’t believe me- or rather were paid to look the other way. “  It disgusted her. No matter how much good the police force did, they would never bee good in her eyes.  “So when I was taken home, I was pulled out of school and he started home schooling me.  The beatings continued, the burning. He burned my arms… and my legs… my back..” She frowned. “When I turned sixteen… I tried to leave again..” Her fingers pulled from his hand and she tugged the shirt down looking at where the burn curved around her breast and came up towards the op. “And that’ when he burnt my chest and my neck. He said if he.. burned the important parts that  no one would ever want me. So I’d have no reason to leave…” 

“He was wrong. I ran that night I ran away and I didn’t go back. “ She frowned. “I lived on the streets for so long. After everything happened with the equalists… I still wasn’t free. So I went back to confrotn him. “ She looked down to her hands. “I just wanted to talk to him… But he  started to attack me.. and I blacked out. I  remember I had him on the ground… and he grabbed my hands… he started burning my hands to the point.. that the skin tore off…” Her eyes closed and she went very stiff. Her eyebrows furrowed and she frowned deeply. “I killed him.. I killed him and I watched him bleed… When I was sure he was dead.. I put him in the bed with his bottle of alcohol… and lit a cigarette. I dropped the cigarette on the bed and I walked out.”

Shin didn’t look surprised about what she said about the police department. Stupid cops can’t even do their own jobs right. Shin looked down at her breast when she tugged the shirt down. He almost felt a little guilty for ogling at a time like this. He took her hand in his again and gave it another kiss. He was a little worried when she went stiff in his arms. And then, she admitted it.

She admitted she killed the bastard who had done so much damage to her. Shin didn’t blame her. “Good for you,” he told her. He had one arm around her already. He put the other arm around her, pulling her onto his lap and into a hug. “So, this really just cements it. You really are tougher than nails on a Beifong. Sounds to me like that son-of-a-bitch got what he deserved.” One of his hands came up to caress Inia’s face.

“Look, murder ain’t pretty. It twists you up inside. And with what happened to you, too… that twists you up inside, too. That’s, y’know, that’s a lot of twisting.” He stopped caressing her face a moment to run a hand through his hair. Then, he moved to put it back on her. “It’s enough to make you feel not human.” He couldn’t quite identify with all that she had been through, but he could identify with enough, and hopefully, that would be enough. 

He paused a moment and caught her hand in one of his again. “But you are human. You are wanted. Desirable.” He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers again. “I ain’t going to say I know what you’ve been through because you’ve been through a lot more than I have. Spirits. A lot more. But I can relate a little. I have to convince myself I’m human every day.” 

He felt uncomfortable again after admitting another deep, painful truth about himself, but he tried not to focus on it for right now. For right now, he wanted to focus on Inia. Just Inia. He wanted to show her just how wrong her bastard of a father really was.

She leaned against him and allowed him to comfort her. She was trying hard not to tear up- it was hard to talk about but she was NOT about to cry in front of him. She wouldn’t. Taking a deep breath she leaned up and kissed his cheek softly. “You want to know why my mother left?” She cocked her head to look at him. “BEcause my sister was a firemender...I should have been a water bender.”

The woman relaxed back against him as he started caressing her hand. Those little touches were so relaxing and comforting to her. Her eyes closed as sh e leaned her head back thinking a moment before she picked her head back up looking ot him. Honestly, she was considering what she was goign to tell him. Might as well go all in, what more could happen? How bad could it get?

“It was staged to look like a accidental suicide to cover up the fact the rich bastard has his throat cut to the point he was almost decapitated. Thank the spirits for fire.” She looked to him. Okay.. in order for this part to make sense he had ot know the whole store. “So you know I’m a half breed.” Mud blood, mutt whatever. She’d been called all of it. “My mother was a pure bred water bender. My father was a pure blooded fire bender.”

“When my mother left us… my father didn’t take it very well. It started with just beatings.. broken bones broken ribs… stuff like that.” She frowned. “Then one day he was particularly mad and that’s how I got the big scar on my bag. Once he decided that was a better way to make himself feel better.” Shifting a little uneasily as all of the memories came back. “It went on and my back.. became his favorite. He..rigged up my bed… it was one of the princess beds with the posts? He had two belts on them .. that when he was ready  he would tie my wrists to them so I couldn’t cover my back. “ She had to pauce a moment shifting again lickign her lips.  She wanted to tell him the rest she just had to take a breath.

Shin was a little surprised by how graphically she described a man’s throat being cut. It made him a little uncomfortable, but it also called to mind what she had said earlier. About revenge. He was connecting the dots, but he didn’t give any indication of such. He wanted Inia to continue his story before he could settle on his conclusions. 

He listened to her describe being beaten, and something in his chest ached. His posture became a little stiffer, and his eyes went a little cold as he thought about someone doing that to a child, to a daughter, to Inia. He’d heard some pretty bad things before, of course, but now it seemed more… personal. His grip on Inia tightened. He glanced at her, and his face softened somewhat. Last thing she needed was him to think that coldness was directed towards her. He placed a hand on her back and moved it in small, soothing circles. 

He didn’t know if he should try to stop her from telling him anymore, if he was getting himself in too deep, or if this might be too painful for Inia to talk about. He settled on being silent, only giving Inia a nod to continue, if she wanted.

Glancing up to him she looked down. “After he burned my legs... I ran away. I was.. ten I think.. But because he was so important and such a big contributor to the police department, they were bought off. They didn’t believe me- or rather were paid to look the other way. “  It disgusted her. No matter how much good the police force did, they would never bee good in her eyes.  “So when I was taken home, I was pulled out of school and he started home schooling me.  The beatings continued, the burning. He burned my arms... and my legs... my back..” She frowned. “When I turned sixteen... I tried to leave again..” Her fingers pulled from his hand and she tugged the shirt down looking at where the burn curved around her breast and came up towards the op. “And that’ when he burnt my chest and my neck. He said if he.. burned the important parts that  no one would ever want me. So I’d have no reason to leave...” 

“He was wrong. I ran that night I ran away and I didn’t go back. “ She frowned. “I lived on the streets for so long. After everything happened with the equalists... I still wasn’t free. So I went back to confrotn him. “ She looked down to her hands. “I just wanted to talk to him... But he  started to attack me.. and I blacked out. I  remember I had him on the ground... and he grabbed my hands... he started burning my hands to the point.. that the skin tore off...” Her eyes closed and she went very stiff. Her eyebrows furrowed and she frowned deeply. “I killed him.. I killed him and I watched him bleed... When I was sure he was dead.. I put him in the bed with his bottle of alcohol... and lit a cigarette. I dropped the cigarette on the bed and I walked out.”

Giving a laugh, she nodded trying gently to pull her hand away from him. “I will but you’re going to have to stop that or I’ll never finish…” And telling him that was probably a bad decision. “I had to get revenge… I had to take my body and my life back and as long as he was alive I knew I would always live in fear..” She curled her fingers around his  and her free hand touched her neck.

“Do you … remember a few years back… over in the high end district- a very well known accountant’s house was burned to the ground? They blamed it on the Agni Kais before ruling it an accidental suicide?” She honeslty couldn’t believe she was about to tell him this. No one knew this. For a very good reason it would make her a monster.

Shin smirked and filed that bit of information away for later. For now, his curiosity temporarily outweighed his sex drive. He went back to caressing her hand with his fingers. “Sounds like some bastard caused you a lot of trouble,” he remarked, getting comfortable on the couch. His eyebrows furrowed as he tried to remember what she was talking about. “Yeah, yeah, I think I heard about that on the radio. Bunch of my pals in the Threats and I think that accidental suicide bit is bullshit, though. Has Agni Kai fingerprints all over it…” He paused a moment, then considered where the story was going. His mouth formed an ‘oh.’ “You, uh… know something I don’t, hm? So, big-time fat cat burns up; everyone think it’s accidental suicide… But the real story is?”

The woman relaxed back against him as he started caressing her hand. Those little touches were so relaxing and comforting to her. Her eyes closed as sh e leaned her head back thinking a moment before she picked her head back up looking ot him. Honestly, she was considering what she was goign to tell him. Might as well go all in, what more could happen? How bad could it get?

“It was staged to look like a accidental suicide to cover up the fact the rich bastard has his throat cut to the point he was almost decapitated. Thank the spirits for fire.” She looked to him. Okay.. in order for this part to make sense he had ot know the whole store. “So you know I’m a half breed.” Mud blood, mutt whatever. She’d been called all of it. “My mother was a pure bred water bender. My father was a pure blooded fire bender.”

“When my mother left us... my father didn’t take it very well. It started with just beatings.. broken bones broken ribs... stuff like that.” She frowned. “Then one day he was particularly mad and that’s how I got the big scar on my bag. Once he decided that was a better way to make himself feel better.” Shifting a little uneasily as all of the memories came back. “It went on and my back.. became his favorite. He..rigged up my bed... it was one of the princess beds with the posts? He had two belts on them .. that when he was ready  he would tie my wrists to them so I couldn’t cover my back. “ She had to pauce a moment shifting again lickign her lips.  She wanted to tell him the rest she just had to take a breath.

Shin sucked on another one of her fingers, then stopped. He was very curious now. “That’s one way to start a story. You going to tell me the rest?”

Giving a laugh, she nodded trying gently to pull her hand away from him. “I will but you’re going to have to stop that or I’ll never finish...” And telling him that was probably a bad decision. “I had to get revenge... I had to take my body and my life back and as long as he was alive I knew I would always live in fear..” She curled her fingers around his  and her free hand touched her neck.

“Do you ... remember a few years back... over in the high end district- a very well known accountant's house was burned to the ground? They blamed it on the Agni Kais before ruling it an accidental suicide?” She honeslty couldn’t believe she was about to tell him this. No one knew this. For a very good reason it would make her a monster.

Inia chuckled. “Seasoned..educated…experienced..” She teased and watched his dark fingers…well just a shade darker than hers not muddles with the yellow tint of her firenation blood. “These I got…just about a year before I met you…”It was all over the papers and the news radio shows. At least it was classified as an accident.

“I like experienced,” Shin said, smirking a little bit. He pulled her hand up to his lips and started kissing her fingers. “Hmm… recent, then.” He pulled one tip of her finger into his mouth and sucked on it gently, then he trailed kisses along her palm. “What happened?”

She watched him kissing her fingers and She had to clsoe her eyes. He had no idea intimate the affection he was showing her at the moment was. She chuckled when he sucked her finger and shook her head watching him kiss her palm. “....revenge...” It was a word that was barely breathed before she cleared her throat. “Is what happened.”

Shin put his arm back around her when she leaned on him. “That’s because I work hard, especially when I see that I’m starting to get a little pudge around the middle. It didn’t used to happen to me. I think I’m getting old.” Shin’s face turned a little red, and he looked away from Inia. He shook his head. “Still not back to myself yet, but.. I think I’m feeling better. I know this could be a lot worse, but… being around you is kind of making it better.” Shin groaned and slapped his face with his hand. “Damn it, I sound like a complete sap.”

He ventured to look at her between his fingers. “Eh, let’s go back to you. What were you thinking about?” 

Inia gave a laugh and shook her head.Mhm. Yeah I know what your ‘work’ entails. It’s not considered work if you enjoy it.“ Considering all of his extracurricular activities she had to joke with him about it especially since his lips were still pretty loose. “I don’t know I kind of like hearing you be a little sappy. I don’t get to get gushed over…” Hearing his next question she patted his leg. “You aren’t old you’re well seasoned…” She rested her head agains this shoulder and held her hands up. “Just thinking about these… how they’re different from the others.”

“I do other kinds of work,” Shin said, that defensive note creeping into his voice. “But yeah… mostly that…” He frowned a moment when Inia mentioned she didn’t get gushed over. For some reason that bothered him. Fortunately, the comment about his age distracted him. “Is that the new, polite way of calling me old?” Shin said, pouting, before sticking another cookie in his mouth. He looked at her hands. “Hmm…” He grabbed one of her hands and examined it, fingers caressing the scarred areas. “What makes them different?”

Inia chuckled. “Seasoned..educated...experienced..” She teased and watched his dark fingers...well just a shade darker than hers not muddles with the yellow tint of her firenation blood. “These I got...just about a year before I met you...”It was all over the papers and the news radio shows. At least it was classified as an accident.