(no subject)
Earth King x Jun, because the good folks at ZA requested it. No, it's not very romantic, and the Earth King is probably super OOC- I can barely remember what he looks like, let alone how he acted- since I haven't watched any of his episodes in a long time, but it's done. Scribbled down, unedited, rushed like I don't know what, and probably total crud, but it's done. All comments/criticism are/is appreciated.
Jun looked over the campfire at the huddled mass of torn robes and tangled hair laying down across from her. Considering that he had been rumored to be traveling with the Avatar, the Earth King had been surprisingly easy to capture. Three days from warrant to capture- a new personal best for her. She had to admit, though, she was rather disappointed. The descriptions she had heard of him- proud, noble, still dressed in his court clothes- had definitely not matched up to the real thing. He was a mess now; two days of being slung across the back of her Shirshu had not been kind to him. His grubby peasant robes- no doubt acquired a few days after his flight from the capital when his old robes had been sold- were dirty, ill-fitted, and ripped. His hair, which had never gone more than two days without a thorough washing before, was a tangled, disheveled mass that stuck out around his face in all the wrong angles. Even his trademark eyeglasses had a long crack across the left lens, which had to be irritating for him.
Still, she thought, he had a sweet face, nice build, and mildly pretty eyes. Back when he was properly groomed and dressed, he might have passed for almost handsome, if you were into that sort of thing.
“Can I help you, Miss?” he asked quietly, and Jun realized that she had been staring.
“You can stop asking stupid questions,” she snipped, covering up her blunder. It gave her a sick little thrill to see him tremble a little at her tone, pulling his meager blankets closer around him.
“I’m sorry. I’m not used to being held captive.”
“Well, I suggest you get used to it, because once I hand you over to the princess, you’re gonna be a prisoner for a long time.”
To his credit, he managed to look only a little dismayed at this grim prediction. “To the princess, you said?” Jun nodded. “So we’ll be going back to Ba Sing Se, then?”
“Other direction, actually. Now that the capital has fallen," a pained look crossed his face "she’s been making her way back to the Fire Nation for the past couple of weeks. We’re meeting her on the western coast of the Earth Kingdom so she can take you on board her ship home. I hear you’re to be a birthday present to her father, along with a chunk of stone from the palace’s walls.”
No reaction. Jun had to admit- he was either very brave or totally ignorant.
“And how much will you be paid for capturing me?” he asked in the same soft voice. Honestly, it almost unnerved Jun to see someone so calm in the face of so much danger. Screaming and hysterics, she could handle, but not this quiet, solemn man.
“Enough that I’ll never have to work for money again. Though, I’ll confess, if you can top the bounty on your head before we make it to the coast, I don’t have the slightest problem with letting you go.”
“I’m afraid I’m rather strapped for cash right now. Sorry.”
Jun smirked, again not being able to tell if he was serious or stupid.
“So, does that mean you’ll retire after this, Miss…” he paused, waiting for her to properly introduce herself.
She didn’t. “I might take on a few more hunts every now and then, just for the thrill of it, but yes, I think I’ve worked hard enough to deserve a nice long vacation. Find a nice spa in the Southern Kingdom, get myself a ritzy apartment, clothes and jewels fit for a queen…”
“That sounds lovely.”
Jun snapped back to reality. She had lost herself for a moment in her fantasy of her so-close-she-could-taste-it luxurious life. “Not that it’s any of your business, of course.”
“Of course.”
Jun decided that she definitely liked this man. He didn’t seem like much, but he was an excellent listener, and that made him invaluable for a messed-up girl who was constantly on the run with only a beast for company.
She smiled a little as she got up and went over to her bedroll. “Get some sleep,” she called to her captive-turned-companion. “You’re gonna need it tomorrow. We leave for the Northern Kingdom at dawn.”
“…But I thought you said we were going to the coast.”
“I changed my mind.”
“Thank you, Miss.”
“Jun,” she offered, rolling over to face away from him.
She could hear his grin in his voice. “Thank you, Miss Jun.”
And for the first time in she didn’t know how long, she fell asleep with a smile on her face.
PS. After writing this, I've decided that I want Matthew Broderick to play the Earth King in the Avatar movie. : )
Jun looked over the campfire at the huddled mass of torn robes and tangled hair laying down across from her. Considering that he had been rumored to be traveling with the Avatar, the Earth King had been surprisingly easy to capture. Three days from warrant to capture- a new personal best for her. She had to admit, though, she was rather disappointed. The descriptions she had heard of him- proud, noble, still dressed in his court clothes- had definitely not matched up to the real thing. He was a mess now; two days of being slung across the back of her Shirshu had not been kind to him. His grubby peasant robes- no doubt acquired a few days after his flight from the capital when his old robes had been sold- were dirty, ill-fitted, and ripped. His hair, which had never gone more than two days without a thorough washing before, was a tangled, disheveled mass that stuck out around his face in all the wrong angles. Even his trademark eyeglasses had a long crack across the left lens, which had to be irritating for him.
Still, she thought, he had a sweet face, nice build, and mildly pretty eyes. Back when he was properly groomed and dressed, he might have passed for almost handsome, if you were into that sort of thing.
“Can I help you, Miss?” he asked quietly, and Jun realized that she had been staring.
“You can stop asking stupid questions,” she snipped, covering up her blunder. It gave her a sick little thrill to see him tremble a little at her tone, pulling his meager blankets closer around him.
“I’m sorry. I’m not used to being held captive.”
“Well, I suggest you get used to it, because once I hand you over to the princess, you’re gonna be a prisoner for a long time.”
To his credit, he managed to look only a little dismayed at this grim prediction. “To the princess, you said?” Jun nodded. “So we’ll be going back to Ba Sing Se, then?”
“Other direction, actually. Now that the capital has fallen," a pained look crossed his face "she’s been making her way back to the Fire Nation for the past couple of weeks. We’re meeting her on the western coast of the Earth Kingdom so she can take you on board her ship home. I hear you’re to be a birthday present to her father, along with a chunk of stone from the palace’s walls.”
No reaction. Jun had to admit- he was either very brave or totally ignorant.
“And how much will you be paid for capturing me?” he asked in the same soft voice. Honestly, it almost unnerved Jun to see someone so calm in the face of so much danger. Screaming and hysterics, she could handle, but not this quiet, solemn man.
“Enough that I’ll never have to work for money again. Though, I’ll confess, if you can top the bounty on your head before we make it to the coast, I don’t have the slightest problem with letting you go.”
“I’m afraid I’m rather strapped for cash right now. Sorry.”
Jun smirked, again not being able to tell if he was serious or stupid.
“So, does that mean you’ll retire after this, Miss…” he paused, waiting for her to properly introduce herself.
She didn’t. “I might take on a few more hunts every now and then, just for the thrill of it, but yes, I think I’ve worked hard enough to deserve a nice long vacation. Find a nice spa in the Southern Kingdom, get myself a ritzy apartment, clothes and jewels fit for a queen…”
“That sounds lovely.”
Jun snapped back to reality. She had lost herself for a moment in her fantasy of her so-close-she-could-taste-it luxurious life. “Not that it’s any of your business, of course.”
“Of course.”
Jun decided that she definitely liked this man. He didn’t seem like much, but he was an excellent listener, and that made him invaluable for a messed-up girl who was constantly on the run with only a beast for company.
She smiled a little as she got up and went over to her bedroll. “Get some sleep,” she called to her captive-turned-companion. “You’re gonna need it tomorrow. We leave for the Northern Kingdom at dawn.”
“…But I thought you said we were going to the coast.”
“I changed my mind.”
“Thank you, Miss.”
“Jun,” she offered, rolling over to face away from him.
She could hear his grin in his voice. “Thank you, Miss Jun.”
And for the first time in she didn’t know how long, she fell asleep with a smile on her face.
PS. After writing this, I've decided that I want Matthew Broderick to play the Earth King in the Avatar movie. : )