closed | leave me alone i have nothing witty to put here

[yaoihand]

Who: Kija and Bolin
When: Some time after the first dungeon fight
Where: A remote part of Capablanca
What: Two manchildren go on a gingerbread adventure and try not to die.
Rating: Possible violence but otherwise none.

[ Rule of thumb when travelling in a foreign land: Always make sure at least one person in the party actually knows what they're doing. That doesn't seem to be the case with these two, as they've been trudging around for close to an hour and there still doesn't seem to be any sign of civilization. Navigating a wild forest took a manner of skill. The terrain was harsh and seemed to go on forever, and with how all the trees and rocks looked exactly the same, it was impossible to tell if they were making progress at all. Any regular person would be having trouble. Kija's depended on others for most of his life. Of course he doesn't have a clue what to do.

He thought this other Blanc hero he had chanced upon would be of help, but he turned out to be in the same situation as Kija. Oh well, two heads are always better than one.

Even if they aren't ... very sharp heads.

There's something so familiar about Bolin, but Kija still hasn't been able to put his finger on what. It's almost like they've met somewhere before. He'll definitely ask later. For now, their goal is the return to their quarters in Blanc some...how........ ]

I am certain this time. It is this way. [ And he points in some random direction. Why does it feel like they've walked here before? ]

Comments

[yaoihand]

[ wow stop your thirst

HE'S STILL UNSATISFIED THAT HE FAILED EARLIER but Kija accepts his answer. He also makes a note to start training up the rest of his body. He spent so much time training his dragon's claw that he let the rest of him become so weak and skinny!!!!

If only he could have a work out montage and come out Thique. ] Very well. [ Kija continues this upward ascend, and it's not long before he's high enough to get a good look of what was around them. Unfortunately, he can't see the town from here, but what he can see is smoke from someone's chimney. ]

I do not see the town, but ... there is a house.

[ A really odd looking house. It was brown in colour and seemed to have many colourful decorations. It's hard to see what those colourful specks were from where they were though. ]

[sediments]

[ Bolin's head pops up above the branches beside Kija's a short while after the smaller boy reaches the top, and he gazes curiously out in all the directions, trying to figure out how they could've wandered so far that they would see nothing but trees all around them. He's sure that he hadn't been in the forest that long when he met up with Kija!

But his companion is right, and all he can see is one lonely house. ]

Maybe some super wizened recluse lives there? [ Like Toph, alone in the swamp. He looks over at Kija and shrugs. ] It's our best shot for now.

[ Then he contemplates the climb back down... how tedious. ]

[yaoihand]

[ Little did they know, they've been wandering further and further from their quarters all this time.

ALso pretend they're still at Capablanca.

There's a nod, and Kija starts to climb down - also faster and with more ease than Bolin, by the way, sorry you suck. ]

We will ask him for directions then.

[sediments]

[ This thread is such a mess.

But Bolin begins the tedious climb downward, opting to allow himself strategic falls to speed the process up. He dusts his hands off once his feet hit the ground, nudging Kija's shoulder before starting off in the direction of the house. ]

Let's go then.

[ Let's just speed up so that they get there already. ]

[yaoihand]

[ Fine. After several minutes of walking, they are now here!! And the house isn't quite like anything Kija has ever seen. He thought the brown-coloured walls of the house were an odd choice of bricks before, but now that he can get an up close look, they seem to be made of another substance entirely - a softer-looking substance with a very appetizing smell. And the colourful decorations plastered all over the house weren't signs at all. They appear to be ... sweets?

Kija blinks, not quite believing what he's seeing. ]

What sort of house is this? I have never seen anything quite like it. [ He gives the general air a whiff. ] It has an odd smell ...

[ IT SMELLS TASTY ?? ]

[sediments]

[ Bolin is nothing if not a lover of sweets and good food, so he approaches the house with eyes narrowed and a suspicious squint. If he didn't know better, he'd almost say that the house looks like it's made out of a cookie. ]

Kind of smells like... ginger?

[ There's definitely the tang of ginger among the sugary sweetness, and Bolin's stomach is rumbling. ]

Is this even a real house?

[ He frowns, reaching out with his staff to knock at an outcropping of a window, eyebrows shooting up when a piece crumbles off easily. Picking it up from the ground... he just eats it. ]

It is cookie!

[yaoihand]

[ Kija is horrified when Bolin just goes and puts something that fell onto the floor ... into his mouth!! ]

Do not eat it! It fell onto the ground! What is the matter with you?! It is filthy!!

[ And here is where you'll see the marked difference between a spoiled rich kid who's only had clean, tasty food for most of his life ... and the poor kid who's had to make do with whatever was available....

Then, an afterthought: ] And you should not be eating someone else's house!

[sediments]

It's fine. [ Bolin shrugs off Kija's concern. ] I've had plenty of worse meals than this.

[ But really, that's not what's important. What's important is that this entire house is a giant cookie! ]

Anyway, how can this even be a real house if its walls are edible?

[yaoihand]

[ Oh god, he can't think about where that piece of cookie has been. Who knows how many animals have stepped on the forest ground! Insects might have crawled all over it too!! While it's true that Bolin's habits are none of his business, he's just so scandalized by his actions!! He's also concerned about his health. ]

It is shaped like a house, is it not? The owner might have unique tastes. [ And that is not a pun, believe it or not .... ]

We should not eat what does not belong to us! [ Kija is such a boyscout okay. Rules and manners are the world to him. ]

[sediments]

[ It's for Cool Bolin to make an appearance, and the earthbender just shakes his head, waving off Kija's concerns before leaning one arm on the smaller boy's shoulder. ]

But Kija, [ he starts, feeling pretty suave, ] that doesn't make any sense! It can't be a house because it would just dissolve in the rain, wouldn't it?

[ He pulls away, raising his arms to gesture at the size of the house. ]

Plus, it's huge! And we're hungry travellers lost in the forest. Who would even notice a couple of missing bites?

1/2

[yaoihand]

[ wow bolin, you're a naughty child. Kija just stares at him as he makes that smug look. It's true that this house would just dissolve in the rain, and he does wonder how it's even still standing, but his principle still stands! ]

It is not proper to eat another person's things! [ HE IS A GOOD BOY, UNLIKE SOME PEOPLE. ] We must practice discipline and self-control. Besides, I am not hungry --

[yaoihand]

[ And then his stomach growls LOUDLY. Kija freezes, his face turning red in embarrassment. ]

...

[sediments]

[ Bolin lets the silence stretch between them for a while, just so that Kija can feel even more awkward.

Then: ]

Kija, listen. [ This time both his palms close around the other Hero's shoulders. ] If you pass out from hunger, I'm not gonna carry you back.

[yaoihand]

[ Kija smacks his hands away, so embarrassed from what had happened that he goes into a fluster. ] T-That was not my stomach! It must have been something else!

[ He then holds himself and starts to look petulant. A small part of him is trying to will his stomach into staying quiet. ] And I will not be needing you to carry me back!

[ He doesn't care anymore!! Whatever!!! ] Eat if you must, but do not destroy the house. I will keep a lookout for us.

[ Because he does understand that Bolin is hungry, and this might be their only food source for miles and miles. This is such a moral dilemma!!! ]

[sediments]

That was definitely your stomach! [ Bolin's laughing a little, apparently warming up to Kija's stuck up attitude and poking fun at the other boy.

He's not about to harass him too much however, mostly because Kija's an adult and he doesn't need Bolin to tell him when to eat.

Unfortunately, as things turn out Bolin never gets a second bite when the gingerbread door to the gingerbread house finally swings open, an old woman peaking out and raising her eyebrows, offering nothing but an, "oh my." ]

[yaoihand]

[ It's like the worst possible thing had just happened. They've been caught red-handed, destroying some poor old woman's property! Okay, they haven't actually done anything yet and the piece Bolin had eaten actually fell off on its own but it surely looked like they were up to no good.

And that's enough to bring Kija great shame. ] W-We are very sorry!

[ Other people might lie about their intentions or try to cover things up in some way. Other people aren't boyscouts like Kija is. He immediately throws himself to his knees, kowtowing to show his sincerity. ] My sincerest apologies. I will accept any punishment you see fit, Madam.

[ He then tugs at Bolin's pant leg. ] You apologise too, Bolin!

[sediments]

[ Bolin's eyebrows shoot up when Kija suddenly kowtows. Bowing deeply when the other man tugs at his pants, but not throwing himself on the floor. ]

We're very sorry to be trespassing!

[ He can't really believe someone lives here!

To their relief, the old woman just laughs. It's a weird kind of wheezing chuckle, but at least it's friendly?

"It's fine," she tells them, hobbling over, gesturing for Kija to get up while reaching out to take Bolin's chin.

The action gets him to still abruptly, trying to figure out if this is some sort of weird grandma thing where old women think it's totally appropriate to grab younger folk like this.

"It's a pleasant surprise." And she's not letting go??? ]

[yaoihand]

[ Kija ... doesn't catch on to how unnerving that gesture appears to be. He's too busy feeling relieved that he's out of the hot water (see what i did there). She doesn't appear bothered at all! As the old woman inspects Bolin, Kija ... doesn't think to help him, opting to explain the situation to her instead. ]

We were looking for a way back to town, and we were wondering if you could help us! [ The old lady shoots Kija a glance. He was a polite boy, but way too skinny. She had no use for boys with this little flesh.

But maybe he could make a good servant ...

Finally, she lets Bolin go and offers them both an amiable smile, trying her best to sound grandmotherly despite the hoarseness in his voice. Just excuse it, it's a throat condition.

"I can show you boys the way back to town, but you look famished! Why don't you come in for tea and biscuits first?"

It was a sweet offer, but Kija felt obliged to refuse. He didn't want to impose. ] Thank you, but I am quite fine, you do not have to --

[ And then his stomach growls AGAIn. ] ...

[sediments]

[ The woman's smile only grows wider, unnerving at how obviously she's seizing the opportunity that Kija is presenting her.

"My, you mustn't lie," she admonishes, "bad habits like that rot the flesh."

She ushers them both inside then, and Bolin finds himself growing more uncomfortable, though he can't bring himself to argue with an old woman. He hovers closer to Kija, finding the other man considerably more comforting despite their rocky first meeting. ]

We should leave ASAP. [ He whispers, anxiety increasing once the door shuts behind them, leaving them in the dark house. (It's made of gingerbread, there's no electricity or plumbing??)

But she hears him, and urges them further into her kitchen.

"You wouldn't consider leaving before we eat, would you?" ]