Burns Brighter: Frozen (4/4)
Burns Brighter: Frozen (4/4)
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, canon character deaths, angst.
Rating: R overall
Length: ~5100 / ~18600
Summary: As Avatar Aang approaches the end of his time, Kurt and Blaine face new responsibilities and adapt to the changing societal atmosphere in Republic City. Set seven years after Burns Brighter.
A/N: For those of you not familiar with the series don't forget to check out the primer. We have reached the end of our journey for now. We hope you enjoyed this book! The next time we meet you, Kurt and Blaine will be spending some time in the South Pole with a familiar face. :)
Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four
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His head is pounding.
He's startled awake by cold toes brushing his ankle, but it's not the worst way to wake up. The familiar sight of dark, tangled hair against the pillowcase brings a smile to his face. It's a stark contrast to the clean, white linens. He reaches out to brush a lock aside, but stops himself.
They got to bed pretty late last night, but the previous night's funeral called for distraction. He knows it's not the best way to deal with things, but they're only human.
She stirs.
He wishes for another moment of quiet before they have to face the new day. It feels like it's slipping between his fingers.
"Lin," Tenzin says, his voice rough from sleep.
She curses and immediately jumps out of bed, dragging the sheets with her.
“Lin,” he says again, trying to keep his voice steady. “Come back to bed.” He wants to tell her so many things, but he’s afraid the wrong words will send her out the door. He has to be careful, he can’t lose her now.
The scars across her face are beautiful to Tenzin. They remind him of how close he’s come to losing her.
She crosses her arms over her chest. Her modesty might seem out of place to some, given the circumstances, but Tenzin understands. She doesn’t like to feel vulnerable, and during times like these, it’s a hard thing for a person not to feel.
He doesn’t know what it is about her right now, but he can almost see the tangled haired tomboy he met when he first came to Republic City.
“I suppose things can’t get much worse,” she says quietly, and it’s the best answer Tenzin could have hoped for.
She stays.
He breathes easier now.
Tenzin knows this isn’t right, but after all, they’re only human.
***
Some of the faces greeting Lin as she enters the police station have been familiar for years. Decades, even. Women and men who watched after Lin when her regular babysitters had other obligations suddenly come up, when her mother couldn’t afford to take a single day off of work to ensure that her daughter had a comforting face nearby.
They joked with Lin once she was old enough not to need a sitter. Said that Lin was the best trainee that they’d ever had, better even than the academy with the way she kept everyone on their toes, constantly trying to slip away.
There are more lines now drawn over people’s faces. Shadows where they’d never been before. And some faces are gone entirely.
Lin tries not to think about that, nor the most obvious one that comes to mind.
Her shoulders are heavy, but not with the weight of grief. Remorse has molded into something new, into determination evident in every press of her lips. Instead, it’s her mother’s armor that she wears now, stretching across her chest, and she carefully flexes her hands to test the metal. It’s a little bit like coming home.
A couple of people are lined up by the recruitment desk, mostly clad in golds and reds, loud colors to show off their bravado - but every single person falls silent when they watch her enter.
The applicants immediately shuffle to either side, offering her a wide berth. Instead of passing through, Lin raises a hand and shakes her head.
“I’m here to apply like the rest of you,” she says, voice strong and unwavering. “I will wait my turn.”
***
It’s been a quieter week than most. A more optimistic person might hope that the military’s somehow managed to get crime under control, but Kurt knows better by this point - with a city constantly in a state of flux, sometimes it benefits everyone to sit and wait, no matter what their motive. Having Lin on the police force is a game changer.
Even the Triple Threats know that.
But no matter what the source of the peace is, Kurt takes advantage of it as much as possible, clocking in more hours with Katara and Aang these past few days than he has in months.
He only hopes that he’s not interrupting private time.
“So,” Aang greets when Kurt comes in that afternoon, a wide smile on his face and weathered hands peacefully resting on his lap. “Katara tells me that Lin has decided to take the same career path as her mother did.”
Grinning and feeling a warmth blossoming over in his chest, Kurt nods. “That she has. I hear that she’s working very quickly through classes at the Academy, trying to pass as many of the physical tests as possible. Recruitment might end up slower at this rate; I’m sure she’s intimidating all of her classmates.”
From the corner of the room, Katara smiles peacefully, her rocker tilting forward and back as she works on knitting a sweater for the upcoming winter.
“In that way, she takes after her mother,” chuckles Aang, leaning back at Kurt’s request and pushing aside his robes to make way for Kurt’s healing. “Toph was a very intimidating girl when I met her. Very capable of pushing me around. I believe she liked to call me Twinkle Toes to keep me humble and in my place.”
“Not a bad idea, all things considered,” adds Katara with a raise of her brow. “You used to be very fond of letting other people know that you were the Avatar.”
“But I am the Avatar.”
With a laugh, Kurt starts to wrap the water around his hands, the glow gentler than most of his healings. Even though Aang seems to have a great deal of energy still, Kurt knows that his body is still deteriorating. All that he can do is ease the pain of the process, relaxing slightly when he hears Aang’s relieved sigh at the touch of the water.
“Did you know, Kurt, that I’m probably the person responsible for the choosing of Lin’s name?”
Eyes widening, Kurt shakes his head, eager to hear more. Aang’s stories are always well-woven, and this isn’t one that he’s shared before. “No, I didn’t know that.”
“Mmm.” Humming briefly, Aang sinks back more heavily against the pillows, face lined with countless wrinkles as his expression settles into a smile. “The first time I ever saw Toph Bei Fong was not the first time we met. Sometimes the Spirit World touches us in ways that we don’t expect. The war was pressing, and I wasn’t mastering the elements quickly enough, and I needed to find an earthbending master. Opportunities came up, but I never seemed ready. Or perhaps the benders weren’t patient enough to deal with an impetuous young boy such as myself.”
“I’m sure you weren’t that bad,” Kurt remarks, tongue in cheek. From her chair, Katara raises a brow, then continues to work on her knitting.
“My wife’s failure to come to my defense speaks for itself. I was a mischievous thing, Kurt, but I had a natural curiosity that was piqued by dreams and visions. Katara, Sokka, and myself, we were all trapped in a forest which forced us to face truths we hadn’t fully accepted yet.”
Feeling Aang’s hand reach out for Kurt’s own, Kurt freezes, then carefully glances up to meet Aang’s gaze.
“I saw a vision of Toph in that forest. Laughing, nonetheless, like she was taunting me. And I hadn’t even done anything to deserve teasing by that point! When I told Toph this story later, she laughed and laughed at me - sounded exactly like it did in that vision.” Aang shakes his head. “Then she went and named her only child Lin. The old word for ‘forest.’”
Kurt licks his lips, trying to smile, but his chest feels tight and his hands are starting to shake.
“Kurt, some friendships are so strong, they can even transcend lifetimes,” said Aang, his expression still peaceful, without a hint of conflict. “Toph may be gone, but when I hear about Lin, when I see her, I can see her mother there as well.”
Biting down on his lower lip, Kurt nods quickly, his eyes burning. “I think,” he says, voice wavering. “I think Lin would be very happy to hear that.”
“I have no doubt that I will find you in my next life, Kurt. And I hope that we will be just as good friends then as we have been in this one.”
Taking a deep breath, Kurt reaches for both of Aang’s hands, clasping them tightly.
“I know we will be.”
-
“I’m glad you could all join us this morning. Let the record show that we will be picking up where we left off at the town hall,” Wes begins. He turns to Rachel, and she begins taking notes.
Having barely left Aang’s quarters in time to attend the meeting, Kurt’s heart pounds in his chest as he seats himself right next to Lin, meeting gazes only briefly before trying to get a better sense of the atmosphere in the room. Kurt hopes the limited audience will allow for a better discussion than the one Blaine reported back to him last time. It’s an important issue that they’re debating, and the conversation can’t afford to keep getting out of hand.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the Council, the Order of the White Lotus, and the United Republic police force, it has come to our attention that we need to set stronger regulations regarding bending.”
There are murmurs scattered throughout the crowd, but no one outright speaks up.
“I’m sure that many of you are aware of the outlawing of bloodbending several decades ago. After that regulation was codified into law, the United Republic saw a crime drop of about forty percent.”
It’s a nice statistic, Kurt agrees, but he suspects that more of it can be attributed to the growing pains the United Republic had shortly after its founding. He knows the history from Katara herself - bloodbending was far from the only law written in those early years. Glancing to the side, Kurt notices the strong set of Lin’s jaw; it’s possible that she’s thinking along the same lines.
“I am not asking to completely outlaw all types of bending; I merely hope that we can start to restrict bending that isn’t essential to the work force or the morale of the people as fostered by recreation and professional sports,” Wes continues, glancing up to gauge the reactions of the crowd. “I will now open the floor to questions and suggestions. I urge all of you to remember that this is our nation, and we all want to protect it the best we can.”
Lin’s hand is the first to shoot up. “How would this affect the metalbenders of the police force?”
“As I alluded to earlier, I would like to keep bending unregulated in the workplace, which of course applies to-”
Sebastian doesn’t wait for Wes to finish speaking. “I understand that this had a positive effect on a small scale, but how is it going to work with all forms of bending? Are we going to send the police force after every child trying their hand at earthbending for the first time? It would be a complete waste of police resources, thus distracting them from the crimes that caused these proposed regulations in the first place!”
While Kurt hasn’t heard the greatest things about Sebastian, he refuses to ignore reason just because of that. Sebastian’s tone is a little aggressive, but being on the Council probably requires a level of assertion Kurt doesn’t typically see in his field. At the heart of the matter, Kurt knows Sebastian’s right. Regulating everything is inefficient. It even fosters resentment.
“I, well...” Wes falters. “Arguably, that could be seen as a lesser offense under the eyes of the law. Bending without the supervision of a proper instructor can be dangerous.”
Kurt can’t help but snort at that, which earns him a hard nudge from Lin. He raises a brow at her. “You do remember how we met, right?” he whispers.
“Not the time,” she returns tersely, expression fixed in a frown.
Pressing his lips shut, Kurt nods once before turning his attention back to Sebastian.
“With all due respect,” says Sebastian, his tone even and wry. “Do you know what’s also dangerous? Occupying our limited police resources with minor crimes when they haven’t even begun to crack the surface of the organized gangs in Republic City. You distract those police officers, and more people get hurt for reasons that aren’t just innocent childhood accidents. More people get threatened and hurt in ways they can’t explain at the hospital.”
Kurt inhales sharply, biting down on his lower lip. It isn’t just him, after all. Councilman Smythe seems to spot the same holes in the logic of registration as Kurt has.
“Preventative measures are important, but this goes beyond that. We’re assuming that an entire group of people is more likely to be guilty of crime.”
The murmurs are increasing in volume, a constant sea of noise. But even now, Wes seems to be skilled at maintaining his calm, simply waiting for a pause in Sebastian’s words before speaking again.
“I understand your point, Councilman,” says Wes. “So what if I posit that these restrictions can and should be lifted for people who obtain a license? We’re content with restricting who has access to heavy machinery. How is this any different?”
Kurt’s frown deepens. All that momentum is suddenly threatening to wash away once more.
“All that I’m asking people for is their name.”
-
“Councilman Smythe?”
“Any grievances can be filed with my office,” he says dismissively.
Kurt has to stop himself from grabbing onto the other man’s robes just to keep his attention for a moment longer, itching under his skin with worries about the reactions to the day’s meeting. “No, I’m afraid that won’t do.”
Sebastian turns, finally, and his lips curl into a smile at the sight of Kurt. “Kurt Hummel. You’re Avatar Aang’s healer, aren’t you? I wasn’t aware that medical personnel had reason to attend Council meetings.”
“I have friends on the Council, Councilman Smythe.”
“Oh, I know all about your friends on the Council. You know, it wasn’t that long ago that someone plucked Blaine Anderson right out of a promising political career. They still talk about how far he could have gone. Still can’t quite figure out what coaxed him away.”
Kurt is aware that Sebastian is trying to hit a nerve, and he has no problem holding his ground. There have been enough late night talks for Kurt to know that Blaine couldn’t be happier with his decision to leave politics.
“Blaine’s would-be career on the Council isn’t the reason I wanted to speak with you,” Kurt says, lifting his chin up slightly. “As advisors for the Water Tribes for the White Lotus, I feel a lot can be gained from the two of us working together.”
“I mean no disrespect, Hummel, but if the next Avatar is born into the Northern Water Tribe, there isn’t much I would need your particular advisement on.”
Taken aback for a second, Kurt arches a brow. He can’t figure out if Sebastian’s being serious, if he’s one of those people who stubbornly refuses to acknowledge the patterns of the Avatar cycle. As far back as records show, the Avatar has alternated between the North and South Poles - and with Avatar Kuruk having come from the North Pole, the next Avatar should be born to the South Pole.
Of course, Sebastian could simply be trying to brush Kurt off with an shoddy excuse. Either way, Kurt knows there is nothing to be gained from arguing with people like Sebastian.
Besides, Kurt knows he’ll be leaving Republic City soon enough. No point in causing any more friction than necessary.
“My mistake,” he says, forcing a polite smile.
Kurt has had to deal with all sorts of unsavory characters over the years, and Sebastian is hardly a blip on his radar. And despite some of Sebastian’s views on the differences between the Poles, Kurt knows that they at least feel similarly about the proposed treatment of benders in the city.
Aligning himself with a politician for the good of his fellow healers and benders is a sacrifice Kurt is willing to make. He knows his union will need the sort of protection that only people like Sebastian can provide.
“I just wanted to let you know that you have the support of myself and the healers of Republic City. We are adamant about blocking the motion towards bender cataloguing before it can even come to a vote.”
If Sebastian is at all surprised by Kurt’s words, he recovers quickly, cogs probably turning to figure out how he can leverage the new information. “I’m glad to hear that. The testimonials of those who heal our city will be crucial if this goes on much longer,” Sebastian says, suddenly serious.
“Of course.”
“A few words from the person in charge of healing the Avatar might not hurt either.”
-
Kurt looks for Blaine as the crowd begins to thin out. Every flash of red robes catches his eye, but it’s never Blaine.
He notices that Wes and his secretary, Lady Rachel, have also disappeared. Kurt is no stranger to late night strategy meetings, so he knows not to expect Blaine home any time soon. Usually, it doesn’t bother him.
But usually, the Council isn’t discussing matters that could drastically change both of their lives.
***
Blaine is thankful that Rachel and Wes have been able to sort out their differences over the past few weeks. United, they are a force to be reckoned with. They are a voice for nonbenders everywhere.
“Of course, we need to find a way to phrase this that doesn’t make it sound like we’re out to prosecute the benders,” Wes says, pacing back and forth in the lobby of his office. It’s after hours, but Rachel and Blaine have stayed behind to advise him.
“It’s not like they’re all criminals,” Blaine points out. He feels he can add an unbiased side to the discussion.
“Some of them are,” Rachel scoffs.
Blaine doesn’t blame her for her anger. She’s young, she faced the Triple Threats personally. It’s going to be hard for her fury not to shine through in these matters. To the best of his ability, he tries to sidestep talk of the guilty, turning the conversation towards prevention instead of retribution.
“We could link it to educational opportunities for benders,” he suggests, thinking about the difficulties Kurt had after arriving in the city. “Registering could allow young benders to get government aid when it comes to further training. Plus, it would help the government find jobs for people more efficiently if we can help them best utilize their skills, benders or not.”
Still, Rachel doesn’t look satisfied, arching a brow.
“Listen,” Blaine continues. “I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but Avatar Aang isn’t going to be around much longer...”
“Of course he’s not,” Rachel cuts in. “He’s the Avatar, he’s not immortal.”
While Rachel might be able to remember that the Avatar is as human as anyone else, Blaine knows that there are a lot of people that don’t see things that way. To many, the Avatar is a symbol and figurehead. Losing that will come as a shock, no matter when Avatar Aang passes.
“Okay, fair, but my point is that we don’t need the next Avatar coming into a world where bending is feared. We need to create balance. It might be a while before the Avatar is present to do so themselves.” He thinks of Kurt, the way his eyes light up with passion when he talks about waterbending. “Bending is important to our culture. Just because it’s been used for misdeeds in the past doesn’t mean we need to extinguish the flame forever.”
Wes, who has remained fairly quiet thus far, reaches out to rest his hand gently on Blaine’s shoulder. “Sometimes, I really wish you were the one in my shoes,” he admits. Not for the first time, Blaine notices how much Wes has aged since taking his seat on the Council.
If nothing else, he’s glad to have the opportunity to help a dear friend.
-
The apartment is hushed when Blaine returns, a rarity these days. Usually Kurt is still seeing his patients.
Kurt himself is quiet, but it’s not the comfortable sort of quiet that Blaine has grown accustomed to over the years. He knows Kurt needs the quiet when he’s trying to focus or work through an issue.
This is a different quiet. An angry quiet. One occasionally accompanied by the clatter of pots and pans.
“Kurt?” Blaine calls out. No reply.
He finds Kurt in the kitchen scrubbing a basin that looks like it’s already been cleaned. He gets this way sometimes, but even after all of this time, Blaine still doesn’t know how to deal with it.
“Will they be rounding us up and putting us in camps by the week’s end?” Kurt asks, his eyes never leaving the pan. His hands are raw from the scrubbing. “Maybe they’ll let you stay. You’re helping them, after all.”
Blaine’s mouth falls open. These things Kurt is saying, these aren’t fears Blaine’s had himself, but it’s clear they’ve been worrying Kurt.
“And the next Avatar. I suppose they’ll put them in a zoo. Somewhere for the public to admire.”
“I defended you. I defended us.” Right now, Blaine doesn’t simply mean the two of them, he means all benders. They live in times where no one seems to have the right answer, but they’re all trying. “Nothing like that is going to happen to us, Kurt.”
The pan clatters to the bottom of the sink. Blaine wraps his hands around Kurt’s wrists and pulls them away. He wishes in that moment that he was the one with Kurt’s healing touch, because he wants nothing more than to fix this.
“Nothing is going to touch us, I promise.”
***
Kurt hates to ask anything of Aang, especially now, but he’s scared. They all are. They don’t know what kind of world is going to greet the next Avatar, and it’s now their job to prepare for it.
“The bending legislation they’re voting on next week. How should Blaine advise them?”
As a representative of the White Lotus, Blaine’s opinion will be sought after by people other than Wes now. And if Blaine doesn’t fall on the right side of decisions, if Kurt can’t support him in the process, he’s not sure how they’re supposed to earn the trust of the entire Order. Kurt tries to keep the anxiety out of his voice, but he can’t help the tight press of his lips.
In contrast, Aang smiles. “How do you expect an old man like me to know?” he chuckles.
Kurt feels Blaine squeeze his hand. It calms him, but only a little. Aang is right. How can any one person know the right answer when a full council of elected officials can’t seem to come to an agreement?
“All we can do is learn from our past.”
This frustrates Kurt, because he already knew that. There’s a reason so many past cases have been brought into the discussion.
“And you’re smart boys, you know that’s easier said than done.”
***
The stillness of the evening doesn’t fool Aang, long since having learned about the eye of the storm. All around him, he senses the wind in its movement, weaving through Republic City, the buildings he’d helped to oversee since they were nothing more than carefully laid plans. Not once during his childhood did he foresee a future like this one, with the Air Temples still aged and empty, not enough nomads to move in and oversee their restoration. He expected to live through the end of his days with his brothers, to follow in Gyatso’s steps, for war to be a distant memory instead of the lingering ache that it’d become since.
But if there’s one thing in his present day that he wanted from the start, it’s the feeling of happiness around him, familiar and warm.
Focusing his gaze, he catches Katara glancing his way, and his smile only widens.
“It’s a beautiful night,” he remarks, watching as she makes her way to the window of the bedroom, pushing aside the curtains to reveal the full moon hanging heavy in the sky. “The moon pales in comparison to you.”
This seems to break the tension in Katara’s jaw just a little, mouth relaxing. “Don’t let Sokka hear you say that,” she jokes, stepping forward when he ushers for her to join him on the bed. “Not everyone is lucky enough to spend their entire lives with their first love.”
Pursing his lips, Aang tilts his head, reaching for Katara’s hands and twining their fingers. “I seem to recall another young man you were once enamored with. Jet, was it?”
Katara bats at his shoulder lightly with a hand.
“Or was it Zuko?”
“Aang.”
Chuckling, Aang rubs her hands in his own, leaning over to press a careful kiss to her cheek. “Looks like I’ll be giving you a hard time until my last breath, Katara,” he murmured, inhaling deeply. “Did you have any idea what you were getting yourself into?”
Though his vision was slightly blurred around the edges, Aang caught a brightness in Katara’s eyes, reaching out to wipe tears away before they spilled over.
“Adventure,” she breathed, not moving to push him away. “Having the chance to see the world with the man I loved. And never lacking in hope.”
He leaned over again, tugging at her chin just so, and through the kiss Aang realized that he must have missed a tear. That hurt more than anything, the constant reminder that there were many griefs that the Avatar could do nothing to solve. The world wasn’t his to fix - it was his to experience. Just like anyone else.
“I feel like I’ve prepared for everything except actually saying goodbye,” Katara murmured.
“Then let’s not say our farewells. I’ve seen the Spirit World before; I think you’ll like it there. I’ll be waiting for you, and for our next adventure.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too. You’re my forever girl.”
***
The White Lotus are dressed in funeral robes today.
“Dad would have hated that,” Tenzin says.
It’s the first time that Kurt’s heard Tenzin refer to his father as something other than Avatar Aang. It’s this that makes Kurt take Tenzin’s hand.
The funeral draws in people from all of the nations to Republic City. The streets are packed with mourners.
Kurt knows that not all of them are weeping for Aang. The time between an Avatar’s death and the discovery of the next Avatar has always been a tense one in their history. Especially since it took so long to find Avatar Aang.
The White Lotus has tried to reassure the public of the precautions being taken this time around, but people still worry. Kurt doesn’t blame them.
The procession stops at the docks. Only those closest to the Avatar’s family are allowed to make the trip to Airbender Island. Even Lin hadn’t been allowed to accompany Tenzin.
It almost makes Kurt feel guilty for having Blaine at his side.
The ride to Airbender Island is quiet. It makes Kurt ache for simpler times. When he looks at Tenzin, he can see lines in his face he could swear weren’t there the previous week.
The responsibilities they’ve known they would have to take on someday aren’t just some vague idea in the distant future anymore. They’ve arrived.
Kurt’s read about the burial traditions of the Air Nomads, and he’s thankful that Aang decided to go against the norm. Watching Aang’s ashes being swept away with the wind is easier to stomach than a traditional sky burial.
He looks from the sky to the waters below, and briefly wonders about things in the South Pole.
As he watches the ashes drift off, Kurt starts to think about the passage of time. Katara and Aang met so young, much younger than he and Blaine were when they first met. Despite all of the time they had together, it couldn’t have felt like enough.
He and Blaine haven’t seen eye to eye on a lot of things lately. Blaine has never broken his trust during this time, of course, but there is a tenseness in the household that’s been building.
Fighting each other feels like wasted effort now. They both want the same things, they just have different methods for getting there. Now, more than ever, it is important that they are a united front. For their city, for the Avatar, for each other.
It’s not only that. His love for his people and his city are important, but he doesn’t want to waste any more time being angry with Blaine.
He will have to say goodbye to Blaine someday too, and he wants to make the most out of every second they are allowed.
***
EPILOGUE
Blaine feels like they’ve spent the past three years with one foot out the door. Kurt still sees his patients and Blaine sits in on meetings with the White Lotus, but every knock on the door could be the one that starts their next adventure.
He can’t help the thrill he feels going up his spine with each knock, and no matter how many turn out to be patients or visitors, the hope never goes away.
“Could you get the door?” Kurt calls from the other room.
Blaine gets up from his desk, trying to ignore the familiar excitement that’s building. It could be years still before they hear any news.
When he opens the door to find Sokka standing there with two masters by his side, the anticipation becomes much harder to ignore.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to excuse me for skipping the pleasantries, Blaine. They found a little girl in the South Pole. She bends fire, earth, and water better than any of our agents down there.”
“Kurt?” Blaine calls out, his eyes not leaving Sokka’s.
“I asked you to get the door!” Kurt shouts back, his voice getting louder as he presumably crosses the apartment.
“Kurt,” Sokka greets cheerfully once Kurt’s in sight. “I hope the two of you don’t have any upcoming plans.”
His expression is as dumbstruck as Blaine feels. This isn’t just a possibility anymore. It’s happening.
“As I was just telling Blaine,” Sokka continues, “It seems we found an old friend in the South Pole and we could use your assistance.”
END BOOK TWO.
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, canon character deaths, angst.
Rating: R overall
Length: ~5100 / ~18600
Summary: As Avatar Aang approaches the end of his time, Kurt and Blaine face new responsibilities and adapt to the changing societal atmosphere in Republic City. Set seven years after Burns Brighter.
A/N: For those of you not familiar with the series don't forget to check out the primer. We have reached the end of our journey for now. We hope you enjoyed this book! The next time we meet you, Kurt and Blaine will be spending some time in the South Pole with a familiar face. :)
Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four
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His head is pounding.
He's startled awake by cold toes brushing his ankle, but it's not the worst way to wake up. The familiar sight of dark, tangled hair against the pillowcase brings a smile to his face. It's a stark contrast to the clean, white linens. He reaches out to brush a lock aside, but stops himself.
They got to bed pretty late last night, but the previous night's funeral called for distraction. He knows it's not the best way to deal with things, but they're only human.
She stirs.
He wishes for another moment of quiet before they have to face the new day. It feels like it's slipping between his fingers.
"Lin," Tenzin says, his voice rough from sleep.
She curses and immediately jumps out of bed, dragging the sheets with her.
“Lin,” he says again, trying to keep his voice steady. “Come back to bed.” He wants to tell her so many things, but he’s afraid the wrong words will send her out the door. He has to be careful, he can’t lose her now.
The scars across her face are beautiful to Tenzin. They remind him of how close he’s come to losing her.
She crosses her arms over her chest. Her modesty might seem out of place to some, given the circumstances, but Tenzin understands. She doesn’t like to feel vulnerable, and during times like these, it’s a hard thing for a person not to feel.
He doesn’t know what it is about her right now, but he can almost see the tangled haired tomboy he met when he first came to Republic City.
“I suppose things can’t get much worse,” she says quietly, and it’s the best answer Tenzin could have hoped for.
She stays.
He breathes easier now.
Tenzin knows this isn’t right, but after all, they’re only human.
***
Some of the faces greeting Lin as she enters the police station have been familiar for years. Decades, even. Women and men who watched after Lin when her regular babysitters had other obligations suddenly come up, when her mother couldn’t afford to take a single day off of work to ensure that her daughter had a comforting face nearby.
They joked with Lin once she was old enough not to need a sitter. Said that Lin was the best trainee that they’d ever had, better even than the academy with the way she kept everyone on their toes, constantly trying to slip away.
There are more lines now drawn over people’s faces. Shadows where they’d never been before. And some faces are gone entirely.
Lin tries not to think about that, nor the most obvious one that comes to mind.
Her shoulders are heavy, but not with the weight of grief. Remorse has molded into something new, into determination evident in every press of her lips. Instead, it’s her mother’s armor that she wears now, stretching across her chest, and she carefully flexes her hands to test the metal. It’s a little bit like coming home.
A couple of people are lined up by the recruitment desk, mostly clad in golds and reds, loud colors to show off their bravado - but every single person falls silent when they watch her enter.
The applicants immediately shuffle to either side, offering her a wide berth. Instead of passing through, Lin raises a hand and shakes her head.
“I’m here to apply like the rest of you,” she says, voice strong and unwavering. “I will wait my turn.”
***
It’s been a quieter week than most. A more optimistic person might hope that the military’s somehow managed to get crime under control, but Kurt knows better by this point - with a city constantly in a state of flux, sometimes it benefits everyone to sit and wait, no matter what their motive. Having Lin on the police force is a game changer.
Even the Triple Threats know that.
But no matter what the source of the peace is, Kurt takes advantage of it as much as possible, clocking in more hours with Katara and Aang these past few days than he has in months.
He only hopes that he’s not interrupting private time.
“So,” Aang greets when Kurt comes in that afternoon, a wide smile on his face and weathered hands peacefully resting on his lap. “Katara tells me that Lin has decided to take the same career path as her mother did.”
Grinning and feeling a warmth blossoming over in his chest, Kurt nods. “That she has. I hear that she’s working very quickly through classes at the Academy, trying to pass as many of the physical tests as possible. Recruitment might end up slower at this rate; I’m sure she’s intimidating all of her classmates.”
From the corner of the room, Katara smiles peacefully, her rocker tilting forward and back as she works on knitting a sweater for the upcoming winter.
“In that way, she takes after her mother,” chuckles Aang, leaning back at Kurt’s request and pushing aside his robes to make way for Kurt’s healing. “Toph was a very intimidating girl when I met her. Very capable of pushing me around. I believe she liked to call me Twinkle Toes to keep me humble and in my place.”
“Not a bad idea, all things considered,” adds Katara with a raise of her brow. “You used to be very fond of letting other people know that you were the Avatar.”
“But I am the Avatar.”
With a laugh, Kurt starts to wrap the water around his hands, the glow gentler than most of his healings. Even though Aang seems to have a great deal of energy still, Kurt knows that his body is still deteriorating. All that he can do is ease the pain of the process, relaxing slightly when he hears Aang’s relieved sigh at the touch of the water.
“Did you know, Kurt, that I’m probably the person responsible for the choosing of Lin’s name?”
Eyes widening, Kurt shakes his head, eager to hear more. Aang’s stories are always well-woven, and this isn’t one that he’s shared before. “No, I didn’t know that.”
“Mmm.” Humming briefly, Aang sinks back more heavily against the pillows, face lined with countless wrinkles as his expression settles into a smile. “The first time I ever saw Toph Bei Fong was not the first time we met. Sometimes the Spirit World touches us in ways that we don’t expect. The war was pressing, and I wasn’t mastering the elements quickly enough, and I needed to find an earthbending master. Opportunities came up, but I never seemed ready. Or perhaps the benders weren’t patient enough to deal with an impetuous young boy such as myself.”
“I’m sure you weren’t that bad,” Kurt remarks, tongue in cheek. From her chair, Katara raises a brow, then continues to work on her knitting.
“My wife’s failure to come to my defense speaks for itself. I was a mischievous thing, Kurt, but I had a natural curiosity that was piqued by dreams and visions. Katara, Sokka, and myself, we were all trapped in a forest which forced us to face truths we hadn’t fully accepted yet.”
Feeling Aang’s hand reach out for Kurt’s own, Kurt freezes, then carefully glances up to meet Aang’s gaze.
“I saw a vision of Toph in that forest. Laughing, nonetheless, like she was taunting me. And I hadn’t even done anything to deserve teasing by that point! When I told Toph this story later, she laughed and laughed at me - sounded exactly like it did in that vision.” Aang shakes his head. “Then she went and named her only child Lin. The old word for ‘forest.’”
Kurt licks his lips, trying to smile, but his chest feels tight and his hands are starting to shake.
“Kurt, some friendships are so strong, they can even transcend lifetimes,” said Aang, his expression still peaceful, without a hint of conflict. “Toph may be gone, but when I hear about Lin, when I see her, I can see her mother there as well.”
Biting down on his lower lip, Kurt nods quickly, his eyes burning. “I think,” he says, voice wavering. “I think Lin would be very happy to hear that.”
“I have no doubt that I will find you in my next life, Kurt. And I hope that we will be just as good friends then as we have been in this one.”
Taking a deep breath, Kurt reaches for both of Aang’s hands, clasping them tightly.
“I know we will be.”
-
“I’m glad you could all join us this morning. Let the record show that we will be picking up where we left off at the town hall,” Wes begins. He turns to Rachel, and she begins taking notes.
Having barely left Aang’s quarters in time to attend the meeting, Kurt’s heart pounds in his chest as he seats himself right next to Lin, meeting gazes only briefly before trying to get a better sense of the atmosphere in the room. Kurt hopes the limited audience will allow for a better discussion than the one Blaine reported back to him last time. It’s an important issue that they’re debating, and the conversation can’t afford to keep getting out of hand.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the Council, the Order of the White Lotus, and the United Republic police force, it has come to our attention that we need to set stronger regulations regarding bending.”
There are murmurs scattered throughout the crowd, but no one outright speaks up.
“I’m sure that many of you are aware of the outlawing of bloodbending several decades ago. After that regulation was codified into law, the United Republic saw a crime drop of about forty percent.”
It’s a nice statistic, Kurt agrees, but he suspects that more of it can be attributed to the growing pains the United Republic had shortly after its founding. He knows the history from Katara herself - bloodbending was far from the only law written in those early years. Glancing to the side, Kurt notices the strong set of Lin’s jaw; it’s possible that she’s thinking along the same lines.
“I am not asking to completely outlaw all types of bending; I merely hope that we can start to restrict bending that isn’t essential to the work force or the morale of the people as fostered by recreation and professional sports,” Wes continues, glancing up to gauge the reactions of the crowd. “I will now open the floor to questions and suggestions. I urge all of you to remember that this is our nation, and we all want to protect it the best we can.”
Lin’s hand is the first to shoot up. “How would this affect the metalbenders of the police force?”
“As I alluded to earlier, I would like to keep bending unregulated in the workplace, which of course applies to-”
Sebastian doesn’t wait for Wes to finish speaking. “I understand that this had a positive effect on a small scale, but how is it going to work with all forms of bending? Are we going to send the police force after every child trying their hand at earthbending for the first time? It would be a complete waste of police resources, thus distracting them from the crimes that caused these proposed regulations in the first place!”
While Kurt hasn’t heard the greatest things about Sebastian, he refuses to ignore reason just because of that. Sebastian’s tone is a little aggressive, but being on the Council probably requires a level of assertion Kurt doesn’t typically see in his field. At the heart of the matter, Kurt knows Sebastian’s right. Regulating everything is inefficient. It even fosters resentment.
“I, well...” Wes falters. “Arguably, that could be seen as a lesser offense under the eyes of the law. Bending without the supervision of a proper instructor can be dangerous.”
Kurt can’t help but snort at that, which earns him a hard nudge from Lin. He raises a brow at her. “You do remember how we met, right?” he whispers.
“Not the time,” she returns tersely, expression fixed in a frown.
Pressing his lips shut, Kurt nods once before turning his attention back to Sebastian.
“With all due respect,” says Sebastian, his tone even and wry. “Do you know what’s also dangerous? Occupying our limited police resources with minor crimes when they haven’t even begun to crack the surface of the organized gangs in Republic City. You distract those police officers, and more people get hurt for reasons that aren’t just innocent childhood accidents. More people get threatened and hurt in ways they can’t explain at the hospital.”
Kurt inhales sharply, biting down on his lower lip. It isn’t just him, after all. Councilman Smythe seems to spot the same holes in the logic of registration as Kurt has.
“Preventative measures are important, but this goes beyond that. We’re assuming that an entire group of people is more likely to be guilty of crime.”
The murmurs are increasing in volume, a constant sea of noise. But even now, Wes seems to be skilled at maintaining his calm, simply waiting for a pause in Sebastian’s words before speaking again.
“I understand your point, Councilman,” says Wes. “So what if I posit that these restrictions can and should be lifted for people who obtain a license? We’re content with restricting who has access to heavy machinery. How is this any different?”
Kurt’s frown deepens. All that momentum is suddenly threatening to wash away once more.
“All that I’m asking people for is their name.”
-
“Councilman Smythe?”
“Any grievances can be filed with my office,” he says dismissively.
Kurt has to stop himself from grabbing onto the other man’s robes just to keep his attention for a moment longer, itching under his skin with worries about the reactions to the day’s meeting. “No, I’m afraid that won’t do.”
Sebastian turns, finally, and his lips curl into a smile at the sight of Kurt. “Kurt Hummel. You’re Avatar Aang’s healer, aren’t you? I wasn’t aware that medical personnel had reason to attend Council meetings.”
“I have friends on the Council, Councilman Smythe.”
“Oh, I know all about your friends on the Council. You know, it wasn’t that long ago that someone plucked Blaine Anderson right out of a promising political career. They still talk about how far he could have gone. Still can’t quite figure out what coaxed him away.”
Kurt is aware that Sebastian is trying to hit a nerve, and he has no problem holding his ground. There have been enough late night talks for Kurt to know that Blaine couldn’t be happier with his decision to leave politics.
“Blaine’s would-be career on the Council isn’t the reason I wanted to speak with you,” Kurt says, lifting his chin up slightly. “As advisors for the Water Tribes for the White Lotus, I feel a lot can be gained from the two of us working together.”
“I mean no disrespect, Hummel, but if the next Avatar is born into the Northern Water Tribe, there isn’t much I would need your particular advisement on.”
Taken aback for a second, Kurt arches a brow. He can’t figure out if Sebastian’s being serious, if he’s one of those people who stubbornly refuses to acknowledge the patterns of the Avatar cycle. As far back as records show, the Avatar has alternated between the North and South Poles - and with Avatar Kuruk having come from the North Pole, the next Avatar should be born to the South Pole.
Of course, Sebastian could simply be trying to brush Kurt off with an shoddy excuse. Either way, Kurt knows there is nothing to be gained from arguing with people like Sebastian.
Besides, Kurt knows he’ll be leaving Republic City soon enough. No point in causing any more friction than necessary.
“My mistake,” he says, forcing a polite smile.
Kurt has had to deal with all sorts of unsavory characters over the years, and Sebastian is hardly a blip on his radar. And despite some of Sebastian’s views on the differences between the Poles, Kurt knows that they at least feel similarly about the proposed treatment of benders in the city.
Aligning himself with a politician for the good of his fellow healers and benders is a sacrifice Kurt is willing to make. He knows his union will need the sort of protection that only people like Sebastian can provide.
“I just wanted to let you know that you have the support of myself and the healers of Republic City. We are adamant about blocking the motion towards bender cataloguing before it can even come to a vote.”
If Sebastian is at all surprised by Kurt’s words, he recovers quickly, cogs probably turning to figure out how he can leverage the new information. “I’m glad to hear that. The testimonials of those who heal our city will be crucial if this goes on much longer,” Sebastian says, suddenly serious.
“Of course.”
“A few words from the person in charge of healing the Avatar might not hurt either.”
-
Kurt looks for Blaine as the crowd begins to thin out. Every flash of red robes catches his eye, but it’s never Blaine.
He notices that Wes and his secretary, Lady Rachel, have also disappeared. Kurt is no stranger to late night strategy meetings, so he knows not to expect Blaine home any time soon. Usually, it doesn’t bother him.
But usually, the Council isn’t discussing matters that could drastically change both of their lives.
***
Blaine is thankful that Rachel and Wes have been able to sort out their differences over the past few weeks. United, they are a force to be reckoned with. They are a voice for nonbenders everywhere.
“Of course, we need to find a way to phrase this that doesn’t make it sound like we’re out to prosecute the benders,” Wes says, pacing back and forth in the lobby of his office. It’s after hours, but Rachel and Blaine have stayed behind to advise him.
“It’s not like they’re all criminals,” Blaine points out. He feels he can add an unbiased side to the discussion.
“Some of them are,” Rachel scoffs.
Blaine doesn’t blame her for her anger. She’s young, she faced the Triple Threats personally. It’s going to be hard for her fury not to shine through in these matters. To the best of his ability, he tries to sidestep talk of the guilty, turning the conversation towards prevention instead of retribution.
“We could link it to educational opportunities for benders,” he suggests, thinking about the difficulties Kurt had after arriving in the city. “Registering could allow young benders to get government aid when it comes to further training. Plus, it would help the government find jobs for people more efficiently if we can help them best utilize their skills, benders or not.”
Still, Rachel doesn’t look satisfied, arching a brow.
“Listen,” Blaine continues. “I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but Avatar Aang isn’t going to be around much longer...”
“Of course he’s not,” Rachel cuts in. “He’s the Avatar, he’s not immortal.”
While Rachel might be able to remember that the Avatar is as human as anyone else, Blaine knows that there are a lot of people that don’t see things that way. To many, the Avatar is a symbol and figurehead. Losing that will come as a shock, no matter when Avatar Aang passes.
“Okay, fair, but my point is that we don’t need the next Avatar coming into a world where bending is feared. We need to create balance. It might be a while before the Avatar is present to do so themselves.” He thinks of Kurt, the way his eyes light up with passion when he talks about waterbending. “Bending is important to our culture. Just because it’s been used for misdeeds in the past doesn’t mean we need to extinguish the flame forever.”
Wes, who has remained fairly quiet thus far, reaches out to rest his hand gently on Blaine’s shoulder. “Sometimes, I really wish you were the one in my shoes,” he admits. Not for the first time, Blaine notices how much Wes has aged since taking his seat on the Council.
If nothing else, he’s glad to have the opportunity to help a dear friend.
-
The apartment is hushed when Blaine returns, a rarity these days. Usually Kurt is still seeing his patients.
Kurt himself is quiet, but it’s not the comfortable sort of quiet that Blaine has grown accustomed to over the years. He knows Kurt needs the quiet when he’s trying to focus or work through an issue.
This is a different quiet. An angry quiet. One occasionally accompanied by the clatter of pots and pans.
“Kurt?” Blaine calls out. No reply.
He finds Kurt in the kitchen scrubbing a basin that looks like it’s already been cleaned. He gets this way sometimes, but even after all of this time, Blaine still doesn’t know how to deal with it.
“Will they be rounding us up and putting us in camps by the week’s end?” Kurt asks, his eyes never leaving the pan. His hands are raw from the scrubbing. “Maybe they’ll let you stay. You’re helping them, after all.”
Blaine’s mouth falls open. These things Kurt is saying, these aren’t fears Blaine’s had himself, but it’s clear they’ve been worrying Kurt.
“And the next Avatar. I suppose they’ll put them in a zoo. Somewhere for the public to admire.”
“I defended you. I defended us.” Right now, Blaine doesn’t simply mean the two of them, he means all benders. They live in times where no one seems to have the right answer, but they’re all trying. “Nothing like that is going to happen to us, Kurt.”
The pan clatters to the bottom of the sink. Blaine wraps his hands around Kurt’s wrists and pulls them away. He wishes in that moment that he was the one with Kurt’s healing touch, because he wants nothing more than to fix this.
“Nothing is going to touch us, I promise.”
***
Kurt hates to ask anything of Aang, especially now, but he’s scared. They all are. They don’t know what kind of world is going to greet the next Avatar, and it’s now their job to prepare for it.
“The bending legislation they’re voting on next week. How should Blaine advise them?”
As a representative of the White Lotus, Blaine’s opinion will be sought after by people other than Wes now. And if Blaine doesn’t fall on the right side of decisions, if Kurt can’t support him in the process, he’s not sure how they’re supposed to earn the trust of the entire Order. Kurt tries to keep the anxiety out of his voice, but he can’t help the tight press of his lips.
In contrast, Aang smiles. “How do you expect an old man like me to know?” he chuckles.
Kurt feels Blaine squeeze his hand. It calms him, but only a little. Aang is right. How can any one person know the right answer when a full council of elected officials can’t seem to come to an agreement?
“All we can do is learn from our past.”
This frustrates Kurt, because he already knew that. There’s a reason so many past cases have been brought into the discussion.
“And you’re smart boys, you know that’s easier said than done.”
***
The stillness of the evening doesn’t fool Aang, long since having learned about the eye of the storm. All around him, he senses the wind in its movement, weaving through Republic City, the buildings he’d helped to oversee since they were nothing more than carefully laid plans. Not once during his childhood did he foresee a future like this one, with the Air Temples still aged and empty, not enough nomads to move in and oversee their restoration. He expected to live through the end of his days with his brothers, to follow in Gyatso’s steps, for war to be a distant memory instead of the lingering ache that it’d become since.
But if there’s one thing in his present day that he wanted from the start, it’s the feeling of happiness around him, familiar and warm.
Focusing his gaze, he catches Katara glancing his way, and his smile only widens.
“It’s a beautiful night,” he remarks, watching as she makes her way to the window of the bedroom, pushing aside the curtains to reveal the full moon hanging heavy in the sky. “The moon pales in comparison to you.”
This seems to break the tension in Katara’s jaw just a little, mouth relaxing. “Don’t let Sokka hear you say that,” she jokes, stepping forward when he ushers for her to join him on the bed. “Not everyone is lucky enough to spend their entire lives with their first love.”
Pursing his lips, Aang tilts his head, reaching for Katara’s hands and twining their fingers. “I seem to recall another young man you were once enamored with. Jet, was it?”
Katara bats at his shoulder lightly with a hand.
“Or was it Zuko?”
“Aang.”
Chuckling, Aang rubs her hands in his own, leaning over to press a careful kiss to her cheek. “Looks like I’ll be giving you a hard time until my last breath, Katara,” he murmured, inhaling deeply. “Did you have any idea what you were getting yourself into?”
Though his vision was slightly blurred around the edges, Aang caught a brightness in Katara’s eyes, reaching out to wipe tears away before they spilled over.
“Adventure,” she breathed, not moving to push him away. “Having the chance to see the world with the man I loved. And never lacking in hope.”
He leaned over again, tugging at her chin just so, and through the kiss Aang realized that he must have missed a tear. That hurt more than anything, the constant reminder that there were many griefs that the Avatar could do nothing to solve. The world wasn’t his to fix - it was his to experience. Just like anyone else.
“I feel like I’ve prepared for everything except actually saying goodbye,” Katara murmured.
“Then let’s not say our farewells. I’ve seen the Spirit World before; I think you’ll like it there. I’ll be waiting for you, and for our next adventure.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too. You’re my forever girl.”
***
The White Lotus are dressed in funeral robes today.
“Dad would have hated that,” Tenzin says.
It’s the first time that Kurt’s heard Tenzin refer to his father as something other than Avatar Aang. It’s this that makes Kurt take Tenzin’s hand.
The funeral draws in people from all of the nations to Republic City. The streets are packed with mourners.
Kurt knows that not all of them are weeping for Aang. The time between an Avatar’s death and the discovery of the next Avatar has always been a tense one in their history. Especially since it took so long to find Avatar Aang.
The White Lotus has tried to reassure the public of the precautions being taken this time around, but people still worry. Kurt doesn’t blame them.
The procession stops at the docks. Only those closest to the Avatar’s family are allowed to make the trip to Airbender Island. Even Lin hadn’t been allowed to accompany Tenzin.
It almost makes Kurt feel guilty for having Blaine at his side.
The ride to Airbender Island is quiet. It makes Kurt ache for simpler times. When he looks at Tenzin, he can see lines in his face he could swear weren’t there the previous week.
The responsibilities they’ve known they would have to take on someday aren’t just some vague idea in the distant future anymore. They’ve arrived.
Kurt’s read about the burial traditions of the Air Nomads, and he’s thankful that Aang decided to go against the norm. Watching Aang’s ashes being swept away with the wind is easier to stomach than a traditional sky burial.
He looks from the sky to the waters below, and briefly wonders about things in the South Pole.
As he watches the ashes drift off, Kurt starts to think about the passage of time. Katara and Aang met so young, much younger than he and Blaine were when they first met. Despite all of the time they had together, it couldn’t have felt like enough.
He and Blaine haven’t seen eye to eye on a lot of things lately. Blaine has never broken his trust during this time, of course, but there is a tenseness in the household that’s been building.
Fighting each other feels like wasted effort now. They both want the same things, they just have different methods for getting there. Now, more than ever, it is important that they are a united front. For their city, for the Avatar, for each other.
It’s not only that. His love for his people and his city are important, but he doesn’t want to waste any more time being angry with Blaine.
He will have to say goodbye to Blaine someday too, and he wants to make the most out of every second they are allowed.
***
EPILOGUE
Blaine feels like they’ve spent the past three years with one foot out the door. Kurt still sees his patients and Blaine sits in on meetings with the White Lotus, but every knock on the door could be the one that starts their next adventure.
He can’t help the thrill he feels going up his spine with each knock, and no matter how many turn out to be patients or visitors, the hope never goes away.
“Could you get the door?” Kurt calls from the other room.
Blaine gets up from his desk, trying to ignore the familiar excitement that’s building. It could be years still before they hear any news.
When he opens the door to find Sokka standing there with two masters by his side, the anticipation becomes much harder to ignore.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to excuse me for skipping the pleasantries, Blaine. They found a little girl in the South Pole. She bends fire, earth, and water better than any of our agents down there.”
“Kurt?” Blaine calls out, his eyes not leaving Sokka’s.
“I asked you to get the door!” Kurt shouts back, his voice getting louder as he presumably crosses the apartment.
“Kurt,” Sokka greets cheerfully once Kurt’s in sight. “I hope the two of you don’t have any upcoming plans.”
His expression is as dumbstruck as Blaine feels. This isn’t just a possibility anymore. It’s happening.
“As I was just telling Blaine,” Sokka continues, “It seems we found an old friend in the South Pole and we could use your assistance.”
END BOOK TWO.