Fic: Burns Brighter (Chapter Four - Part B)
Title: Burns Brighter (Chapter Four - Part B)
Authors: gameboycolor ( drblaine) and ourlivesareweird.
Spoilers: All of Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, and Glee to be safe.
Warnings: Supernatural elements within the realm of the Avatar universe, descriptions of injuries, sports-related violence.
Rating: R overall
Length: ~2100 / ~16200
Summary: Kurt and Blaine navigate the perils of politics and pro-bending during the early years of Republic City. Picks up 50 years after the finale of Avatar: the Last Airbender.
A/N: Thank you again to thisgrayowl for your support and continuing to shower us with pretty things. Your kudos, comments, and reblogs are appreciated! :) or those of you not familiar with the series we now have a primer.
Prologue | Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three Chapter Four (Part A) | Chapter Four (Part B)
AO3 | Reblog on Tumblr
Blaine has a private room, which comes as no surprise, considering his status. It’s a matter of security.
Wes mentioned to Kurt earlier, over a quick lunch both of them listlessly picked at, that this was the nightmare. Sure, the attack had been a simple act of rage over a lost match, but that wasn’t how it was going to look to the public. Automatically, they were going to assume a political motive.
Kurt wonders if it’s helping public opinion, having Katara around. She’s good with the press, having grown up in the spotlight. She always seems to know what to say.
Dustin now faces charges for assault. Chief Bei Fong is leading the charge to get him completely removed from the league. Katara is the primary healer on Blaine’s case, and even though there are probably matters to tend to back in the Fire Nation, Wes hasn’t left Blaine’s side any more than Kurt has. It’s a display of unity that the nations need more than ever.
The pieces all fit so neatly that it almost feels planned; Kurt can easily picture Wes having a hand in it all, carefully calculating his next move. Little details, like the way Tenzin made an appearance at a press conference yesterday with Lin by his side, speaking out in support of pro-bending. They reminded the press that the actions of one player shouldn’t speak for the entire league. Occasional protests crop up, demanding that the sport be outlawed, but they haven’t picked up speed yet.
It’s all about influence.
As Kurt passes through the overcrowded waiting room, he thinks of Blaine’s private room, quiet and nestled away in a corner of the clinic. As much as he’s glad to see Blaine waited on hand and foot, he knows the factory workers out in the waiting room will be lucky to be seen at all today.
-
Sometimes, Kurt likes to step inside to watch Katara at work as she sits down for a healing session. Her face can be mapped out in lines creased by smiles and laughter, but Katara’s hands always appear unblemished as they dip into the water, a soft glow emanated as she guides it carefully over Blaine’s skin.
Even though Kurt doesn’t believe in magic, he can’t help but hope Katara will find a way to work some of her own.
He hears a small exhale in the background, the telltale glow cast over the room fading, but Kurt continues to stare at his feet while Katara approaches to sit by his side.
“You care for this boy, Kurt.”
Katara has an ability to see right through him. It’s a little annoying.
“It’s... complicated,” he mutters, one arm wrapping over his stomach, which continues to twist uncomfortably at the sight of Blaine unmoving on the bed. He keeps his eyes trained on the steady rise and fall of Blaine’s breath. “He seems to have a lot going on right now.”
Katara nods, but her smile suggests that she won’t accept the excuse so easily. It’s not surprising, considering the origins of her relationship with Aang.
“I don’t think I realized until he was hurt. It was so strange, hitting me all at once,” Kurt sighs, shaking his head. “He was hurt, and I couldn’t fix him like I needed to.”
“We healers tend to have that problem sometimes,” she nods sagely. “Taking our own abilities for granted. It takes a little more to make us realize what we stand to lose.”
“Yeah,” Kurt murmurs. “I don’t know if I’m going to do anything about it. Even if Blaine feels the same way, that doesn’t mean that I want anything to do with what his life is about to become. The attention from the Dragonhawks alone is almost too much for me.”
“I can’t say has always being easy, being with Aang-”
“That’s why I can’t let this go any further; I don’t know if I want that sort of attention, Katara.”
“Since when has something not coming easily stopped you?” Katara asks. “And anyway, you didn’t let me finish. It hasn’t been easy, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been worth it. I knew he was it for me very early on, earlier than I was willing to admit to myself. I think it would have been harder, letting him go.”
It’s hard to speculate on what lies in the future for him and Blaine right now. He hasn’t seen Blaine’s eyes in days, and the memories he holds of their color almost feel like a fabrication.
“Is he going to wake up?” he asks Katara, voice terse and low. If there’s anyone Kurt expects to be truthful with him, it’s Katara, and the fear of what lies ahead presses down on his chest with a heavy weight. The truth might not be pretty.
“His spirit is strong,” she says, rising to her feet and stepping to Blaine’s side, where she reaches out with a hand to smooth the curls off of his forehead. “It hasn’t left him yet.”
-
It figures that the first time Kurt actually listens to Katara’s advice and heads home to rest, Blaine wakes up within the hour.
Kurt rushes back to the clinic as quickly as he can, his heart thudding in his chest. There have been whispers of long term damage, and Blaine’s waking moments will be the main indicator of his long term prognosis.
When pulls back the curtain, he finds Blaine already sitting up in bed. Puck is seated on the edge of the mattress, picking various food items off of Blaine’s tray.
It’s the best sight Kurt’s seen in days.
“Puck has already informed me that I look like shit, but I was hoping to get a second opinion.”
Forced to look more closely, Kurt’s eyes skirt over Blaine’s complexion, no longer as pale as before, or in comparison to the bandages wrapped around his head. The other injuries were shallow at best, most of them disappeared long ago, but still Kurt searches as he steps closer to the bed. Only when he meets Blaine’s eyes does Kurt find himself unable to tear his gaze away. He hasn’t seen those eyes in days now.
“You look... great,” Kurt says breathlessly.
“See?” Puck says over a bite of apple. “Now he’s just lying to you. I wouldn’t lie to you, Blaine.”
Blaine gives Puck’s arm a weak swat. “So? What if I like his lies?”
The curtain opens again, and Kurt turns. It’s Wes, but he doesn’t look happy.
Kurt finds his own smile fading. Wes should be thrilled. Blaine’s awake and his mind is intact. It’s a joyous day. It wouldn’t kill the guy to crack a smile or two.
“Would you boys excuse us?” Wes asks.
Puck grabs a bowl of fruit off Blaine’s tray before leaving and Kurt follows him out, scowling slightly at Wes’ dismissive tone. What right does Wes have to call him a boy when Kurt’s been here just as much as the aide has, carefully watching over Blaine’s well-being whenever his healers had to rest? Quietly, he lingers for a second longer by the door, waving Puck away.
When Kurt overhears Wes’ words, his heart sinks.
“Councilman Qin has fallen ill, he’ll be resigning his council seat, effective immediately.”
-
With pro-bending practices suddenly on hold and the clinic now lacking Blaine’s presence, Kurt finds himself restlessly cycling through his shifts. The hours crawl by, and Kurt knows that he should give Blaine time to settle in before visiting him, but he’s worried. He can’t help wondering about the decision to send Blaine home to recover, how they’d ushered him back in spite of Katara’s hesitation - Kurt suspects that they’re putting him to work already, preparing him to take the suddenly empty seat on the Council.
All preparations have to be made before the Council’s next meeting, and time is running short.
To Harmony’s chagrin, Kurt sneaks out fifteen minutes before the end of his shift; in his rush to escape notice, he’s still dressed in his healing robes, brushing them smooth as he steps up to Blaine’s front door. His hand stills inches away from a knock when he hears shouts through the unforgiving screen.
“-maybe it took getting hurt to knock some sense into me. I don’t want this, Wes. I don’t want to live the life that’s planned for me.”
“Blaine, we always knew this day was coming. Of course, we thought we might have a little longer, but we all knew this was coming eventually.”
“We knew,” Blaine repeats, tone exaggerated. “We thought we would have a little longer. If you haven’t noticed, Wes, this is my life we’re talking about.” He pauses. “I don’t understand why it’s me. You’re a million times better at all of this. We went to the same schools. Why isn’t it you?”
“Blaine...”
“The entire time I was out, you took care of everything. It would have been a media circus if it hadn’t been for you. Ever since I’ve known you, you’ve been the one in control of everything. I have no idea what I’m doing, Wes. The things they’re expecting of me, even if I wanted them, I’m not sure I could handle it. But you, you’d be perfect for this job. Everyone knows it, they’re just too afraid to say it.”
Kurt barely hears Wes’s response. “That isn’t the point.”
He remembers his conversation with Wes in the waiting room, and he can’t help but think that Blaine’s hit the point a lot more than Wes would like to admit.
Already feeling as though he has heard too much, Kurt abandons his plans of checking up on Blaine. By the sounds of it, he seems to be feeling better than ever.
-
Kurt returns home to find Zhuzi sleeping restfully at the foot of his bed that night. Careful not to disturb her, Kurt crawls into bed. He should probably wash up, or at the very least change out of his clothes from the day, but his limbs feel too heavy to move, and that same stubborn weight from before continues to press heavily on his chest. Even though he’s heard descriptions before of what it’s like to fall for someone, they always seemed so dramatic, trying to link an intangible emotion to natural functions of the body. As a healer, he knows better. His lungs are fine, and he doesn’t have any reason to find it so difficult to breathe.
Still.
Burrowing under his covers, Kurt thinks of Lin and Tenzin. They’re a well-matched pair from the looks of things, and having grown up together, even their personalities seem to fit them together like pieces of a puzzle - but according to Tenzin, they don’t see eye to eye where it counts.
Katara and Avatar Aang have braved wars together, as well as decades of public scrutiny, opinions sometimes unkind. The nature of Avatar Aang’s role in the world forces them to be apart for months at a time. They still stand strong.
Even when it’s right, it doesn’t always come easy.
With a sigh, Kurt rolls heavily onto his back, feeling like his mind has been overworked these past few days. And while he’s glad that Blaine’s no longer in any immediate danger, Kurt finds himself wondering if Blaine’s going to wake up in a different sense. If he’s going to step up and take responsibility for his country, and if so, whether or not the effort that goes into love is even worth it.
Snorting suddenly, Kurt shakes his head, burrowing against his pillow. “Who am I fooling, really?” he mumbles, voice muffled. “I don’t even know if he likes me.”
From the foot of the bed, Zhuzi lifts herself up and crawls towards the pillow. Kurt offers a hopeful smile, but finds himself instead rewarded by a smack of her paw to his forehead.
“Ow,” he complains. “Fine, fine. You’re right. You’re always right. There’s no point losing sleep over this.”
The koala otter shuffles up to Kurt, nestling by his neck.
Blinking twice before closing his eyes, Kurt tries to will his mind to go blank, even if it’s only for a little while.
Authors: gameboycolor ( drblaine) and ourlivesareweird.
Spoilers: All of Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, and Glee to be safe.
Warnings: Supernatural elements within the realm of the Avatar universe, descriptions of injuries, sports-related violence.
Rating: R overall
Length: ~2100 / ~16200
Summary: Kurt and Blaine navigate the perils of politics and pro-bending during the early years of Republic City. Picks up 50 years after the finale of Avatar: the Last Airbender.
A/N: Thank you again to thisgrayowl for your support and continuing to shower us with pretty things. Your kudos, comments, and reblogs are appreciated! :) or those of you not familiar with the series we now have a primer.
Prologue | Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three Chapter Four (Part A) | Chapter Four (Part B)
AO3 | Reblog on Tumblr
Blaine has a private room, which comes as no surprise, considering his status. It’s a matter of security.
Wes mentioned to Kurt earlier, over a quick lunch both of them listlessly picked at, that this was the nightmare. Sure, the attack had been a simple act of rage over a lost match, but that wasn’t how it was going to look to the public. Automatically, they were going to assume a political motive.
Kurt wonders if it’s helping public opinion, having Katara around. She’s good with the press, having grown up in the spotlight. She always seems to know what to say.
Dustin now faces charges for assault. Chief Bei Fong is leading the charge to get him completely removed from the league. Katara is the primary healer on Blaine’s case, and even though there are probably matters to tend to back in the Fire Nation, Wes hasn’t left Blaine’s side any more than Kurt has. It’s a display of unity that the nations need more than ever.
The pieces all fit so neatly that it almost feels planned; Kurt can easily picture Wes having a hand in it all, carefully calculating his next move. Little details, like the way Tenzin made an appearance at a press conference yesterday with Lin by his side, speaking out in support of pro-bending. They reminded the press that the actions of one player shouldn’t speak for the entire league. Occasional protests crop up, demanding that the sport be outlawed, but they haven’t picked up speed yet.
It’s all about influence.
As Kurt passes through the overcrowded waiting room, he thinks of Blaine’s private room, quiet and nestled away in a corner of the clinic. As much as he’s glad to see Blaine waited on hand and foot, he knows the factory workers out in the waiting room will be lucky to be seen at all today.
-
Sometimes, Kurt likes to step inside to watch Katara at work as she sits down for a healing session. Her face can be mapped out in lines creased by smiles and laughter, but Katara’s hands always appear unblemished as they dip into the water, a soft glow emanated as she guides it carefully over Blaine’s skin.
Even though Kurt doesn’t believe in magic, he can’t help but hope Katara will find a way to work some of her own.
He hears a small exhale in the background, the telltale glow cast over the room fading, but Kurt continues to stare at his feet while Katara approaches to sit by his side.
“You care for this boy, Kurt.”
Katara has an ability to see right through him. It’s a little annoying.
“It’s... complicated,” he mutters, one arm wrapping over his stomach, which continues to twist uncomfortably at the sight of Blaine unmoving on the bed. He keeps his eyes trained on the steady rise and fall of Blaine’s breath. “He seems to have a lot going on right now.”
Katara nods, but her smile suggests that she won’t accept the excuse so easily. It’s not surprising, considering the origins of her relationship with Aang.
“I don’t think I realized until he was hurt. It was so strange, hitting me all at once,” Kurt sighs, shaking his head. “He was hurt, and I couldn’t fix him like I needed to.”
“We healers tend to have that problem sometimes,” she nods sagely. “Taking our own abilities for granted. It takes a little more to make us realize what we stand to lose.”
“Yeah,” Kurt murmurs. “I don’t know if I’m going to do anything about it. Even if Blaine feels the same way, that doesn’t mean that I want anything to do with what his life is about to become. The attention from the Dragonhawks alone is almost too much for me.”
“I can’t say has always being easy, being with Aang-”
“That’s why I can’t let this go any further; I don’t know if I want that sort of attention, Katara.”
“Since when has something not coming easily stopped you?” Katara asks. “And anyway, you didn’t let me finish. It hasn’t been easy, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been worth it. I knew he was it for me very early on, earlier than I was willing to admit to myself. I think it would have been harder, letting him go.”
It’s hard to speculate on what lies in the future for him and Blaine right now. He hasn’t seen Blaine’s eyes in days, and the memories he holds of their color almost feel like a fabrication.
“Is he going to wake up?” he asks Katara, voice terse and low. If there’s anyone Kurt expects to be truthful with him, it’s Katara, and the fear of what lies ahead presses down on his chest with a heavy weight. The truth might not be pretty.
“His spirit is strong,” she says, rising to her feet and stepping to Blaine’s side, where she reaches out with a hand to smooth the curls off of his forehead. “It hasn’t left him yet.”
-
It figures that the first time Kurt actually listens to Katara’s advice and heads home to rest, Blaine wakes up within the hour.
Kurt rushes back to the clinic as quickly as he can, his heart thudding in his chest. There have been whispers of long term damage, and Blaine’s waking moments will be the main indicator of his long term prognosis.
When pulls back the curtain, he finds Blaine already sitting up in bed. Puck is seated on the edge of the mattress, picking various food items off of Blaine’s tray.
It’s the best sight Kurt’s seen in days.
“Puck has already informed me that I look like shit, but I was hoping to get a second opinion.”
Forced to look more closely, Kurt’s eyes skirt over Blaine’s complexion, no longer as pale as before, or in comparison to the bandages wrapped around his head. The other injuries were shallow at best, most of them disappeared long ago, but still Kurt searches as he steps closer to the bed. Only when he meets Blaine’s eyes does Kurt find himself unable to tear his gaze away. He hasn’t seen those eyes in days now.
“You look... great,” Kurt says breathlessly.
“See?” Puck says over a bite of apple. “Now he’s just lying to you. I wouldn’t lie to you, Blaine.”
Blaine gives Puck’s arm a weak swat. “So? What if I like his lies?”
The curtain opens again, and Kurt turns. It’s Wes, but he doesn’t look happy.
Kurt finds his own smile fading. Wes should be thrilled. Blaine’s awake and his mind is intact. It’s a joyous day. It wouldn’t kill the guy to crack a smile or two.
“Would you boys excuse us?” Wes asks.
Puck grabs a bowl of fruit off Blaine’s tray before leaving and Kurt follows him out, scowling slightly at Wes’ dismissive tone. What right does Wes have to call him a boy when Kurt’s been here just as much as the aide has, carefully watching over Blaine’s well-being whenever his healers had to rest? Quietly, he lingers for a second longer by the door, waving Puck away.
When Kurt overhears Wes’ words, his heart sinks.
“Councilman Qin has fallen ill, he’ll be resigning his council seat, effective immediately.”
-
With pro-bending practices suddenly on hold and the clinic now lacking Blaine’s presence, Kurt finds himself restlessly cycling through his shifts. The hours crawl by, and Kurt knows that he should give Blaine time to settle in before visiting him, but he’s worried. He can’t help wondering about the decision to send Blaine home to recover, how they’d ushered him back in spite of Katara’s hesitation - Kurt suspects that they’re putting him to work already, preparing him to take the suddenly empty seat on the Council.
All preparations have to be made before the Council’s next meeting, and time is running short.
To Harmony’s chagrin, Kurt sneaks out fifteen minutes before the end of his shift; in his rush to escape notice, he’s still dressed in his healing robes, brushing them smooth as he steps up to Blaine’s front door. His hand stills inches away from a knock when he hears shouts through the unforgiving screen.
“-maybe it took getting hurt to knock some sense into me. I don’t want this, Wes. I don’t want to live the life that’s planned for me.”
“Blaine, we always knew this day was coming. Of course, we thought we might have a little longer, but we all knew this was coming eventually.”
“We knew,” Blaine repeats, tone exaggerated. “We thought we would have a little longer. If you haven’t noticed, Wes, this is my life we’re talking about.” He pauses. “I don’t understand why it’s me. You’re a million times better at all of this. We went to the same schools. Why isn’t it you?”
“Blaine...”
“The entire time I was out, you took care of everything. It would have been a media circus if it hadn’t been for you. Ever since I’ve known you, you’ve been the one in control of everything. I have no idea what I’m doing, Wes. The things they’re expecting of me, even if I wanted them, I’m not sure I could handle it. But you, you’d be perfect for this job. Everyone knows it, they’re just too afraid to say it.”
Kurt barely hears Wes’s response. “That isn’t the point.”
He remembers his conversation with Wes in the waiting room, and he can’t help but think that Blaine’s hit the point a lot more than Wes would like to admit.
Already feeling as though he has heard too much, Kurt abandons his plans of checking up on Blaine. By the sounds of it, he seems to be feeling better than ever.
-
Kurt returns home to find Zhuzi sleeping restfully at the foot of his bed that night. Careful not to disturb her, Kurt crawls into bed. He should probably wash up, or at the very least change out of his clothes from the day, but his limbs feel too heavy to move, and that same stubborn weight from before continues to press heavily on his chest. Even though he’s heard descriptions before of what it’s like to fall for someone, they always seemed so dramatic, trying to link an intangible emotion to natural functions of the body. As a healer, he knows better. His lungs are fine, and he doesn’t have any reason to find it so difficult to breathe.
Still.
Burrowing under his covers, Kurt thinks of Lin and Tenzin. They’re a well-matched pair from the looks of things, and having grown up together, even their personalities seem to fit them together like pieces of a puzzle - but according to Tenzin, they don’t see eye to eye where it counts.
Katara and Avatar Aang have braved wars together, as well as decades of public scrutiny, opinions sometimes unkind. The nature of Avatar Aang’s role in the world forces them to be apart for months at a time. They still stand strong.
Even when it’s right, it doesn’t always come easy.
With a sigh, Kurt rolls heavily onto his back, feeling like his mind has been overworked these past few days. And while he’s glad that Blaine’s no longer in any immediate danger, Kurt finds himself wondering if Blaine’s going to wake up in a different sense. If he’s going to step up and take responsibility for his country, and if so, whether or not the effort that goes into love is even worth it.
Snorting suddenly, Kurt shakes his head, burrowing against his pillow. “Who am I fooling, really?” he mumbles, voice muffled. “I don’t even know if he likes me.”
From the foot of the bed, Zhuzi lifts herself up and crawls towards the pillow. Kurt offers a hopeful smile, but finds himself instead rewarded by a smack of her paw to his forehead.
“Ow,” he complains. “Fine, fine. You’re right. You’re always right. There’s no point losing sleep over this.”
The koala otter shuffles up to Kurt, nestling by his neck.
Blinking twice before closing his eyes, Kurt tries to will his mind to go blank, even if it’s only for a little while.