[Private RP] Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold

[katuago]

If there was one way Bhanu expected his life would be when he was old enough to go out and manage to see the world, it was definitely not this.

When he was a child, he'd always dreamed of doing something at least somewhat like this--traveling, at least. But this was much, much more different than he expected his journeys to be like. When he was younger, he loved the idea of visiting other nations; the whole thought was exciting, and he was more passionate about learning about the other nations and their cultures rather than his own. Of course, as he got older, his interest died down to the Fire Nation norm of studying the other nations' military force or their strengths and weaknesses, and he grew less and less captivated by the idea of traveling and more interested by other things.

And, now, here he is, the farthest away from home he'd been in...ever, really. If he were still a child, he'd have been much more ecstatic about the prospect of leaving the fire nation, but, as it were, he was more enthused about it than he ever thought he'd be. Back in the Fire Nation, it rarely--if ever--snowed, so the idea of visiting Water Tribes was something he'd always longed to do, given how exotic it sounded. Snow was as foreign to him as teeth on a baby, and he adored it. But, now that he was so far away from the land he knew and loved, he soon realized he had possibly jumped the gun by offering his assistance to his nation by voyaging so far from home into a land he had practically no experience with.

Then again, he was lucky to have been able to have a mother who cared about him so much--she'd fussed over his light clothing for days, frantically purchasing as much fur and warm sweaters and coats as she could for him while his father helped him pack necessary supplies. It was a good thing they were well-off, too, otherwise he'd have likely frozen to death by now. He wondered if perhaps his knack for fire-bending was something that helped him stay warm, as well, but he didn't ponder the idea too long. For now, he was just focused on making to the tribe he could see distantly. He was't sure if there were any water-benders there, but he was hoping he'd be able to at least be able to buy a map or other resources necessary for traversing terrain like this if there weren't.

"I hate the cold," Bhanu grumbled to himself, pulling his hood farther over his head in an attempt to block out the wind as he heaved a sigh, his breath white in the air. He glanced back up to the tribe in the distance, shaking his head a bit as he continued on his trek in the thick snow. He didn't understand it at all. Sure, water benders and water tribes relied heavily on bodies of water, but why the hell did they have to live in climates as frigid and land as faulty and cold as this?

 

[senpai]

Leaving foot prints behind, Hieu hummed a strange tune he made up earlier, ignoring the freezing weather. It wasn't as if he couldn't feel the temperature, but Hieu being a strange person in general. Clutching on the straps holding his belonging, the Asian happily and almost skipped about, while searching for a nearby village. The teenager hasn't noticed but it has been days since he was a lost traveler, wandering from different town to town. Hieu was so careless, he was long gone from his hometown. He didn't have to worry though, because his parents was...well, let's just say they're asleep. Beneath's Earth's ground. He brushed the negative thoughts away, forcing a smile in order to not think about the past. Hieu decided that he is going to carry the family's tradition: Sell products and be a pesky merchant.

"Where should I go?" Hieu mused, squinting his eyes. The wind was harsh, howling without mercy. If he was any lighter than he is now, Hieu wouldn't be surprised if he was blown away! Ten minutes later, he came further and found a figure, not too far away from where he is. Hieu was delighted to see a person, after being isolated for weeks. "Ah!" Hieu, who was too fixed on the other man, tripped on his own shoes. His face met with the ground, almost breaking his nose in process. Uuwa...​

 

[katuago]

Bhanu was more than surprised at a loud, sudden, 'thump' from behind him, followed after a startled cry. He jumped a bit and was nearly immediately irritated with himself at the action. He'd been in more than enough fights and training sessions for his tastes, and he shouldn't have been so easily startled like that. He supposed the storm knocked him off-center more than he'd like to admit Still, his curiosity was piqued; he shifted a bit, forcing down a small shudder at the freezing cold. It took him a moment to shift his weight around to look behind him, given how deep the snow was, but he managed well enough. He blinked in slight surprise at the sight before him.

His eyebrows twitched together a bit in slight confusion. What in the world was someone doing outside in this sort of weather? Then again, he shouldn't be talking, considering he was out in this weather as well. He shook his head a bit, glancing at the village in the distance before heaving a sigh. Bhanu was a fairly aloof person; he was nowhere near altruistic, but his compassion for someone being left out in a storm like this got the better of him. Were it him in this unfortunate person's shoes, he hoped someone would help him out.

"Hey," he called, having to raise his voice a bit to be heard over the wind. "Are you alright?" Bhanu brought an arm up to shield his face from the wind, trudging forward before leaning down to grab the back of the fallen person's coat, tugging on it and their arm to help them up and out of the snow.

 

[senpai]

"Hey," A voice called. His face was still planted on the thick; not to mention, freezing snow, leading Hieu to not able to see what the stranger looked like. But judging from what he sounds, he seemed to be young--about his age, actually. It's been awhile since he talked to his own peers, realizing that he has been talking with adults, no more than over fifty. "Are you all right?" The wind blew, storming over both of the two men. He mumbled a reply, "Ah," Hieu finally lifted his chin, rubbing his nose tinted with white snow. "I'm all right, perfectly fine--" Before he could continue any further, he felt the back of his coat tugged, his arms supported with what he felt a broad shoulder.

He sneezed inevitably, the snot shooting from his nostrils in the speed of light. It was unattractive, but it wasn't as if Hieu was trying to impress anyone. The Chinese man didn't noticed the sloppy appearance until he could feel it above his cupid line, later wiping it furiously. "Thank you for helping me!" He exclaimed, sounding a little too excited. His cheeks flushed, pink from the cold weather and the embarrassment he made for himself.

Hieu faced the stranger. He quickly studied his face. Yep, I was right. We're the same age! "Without you, I would have freeze to death. Because it's...p-pretty--" He had another sneeze attack. "Cold," Hieu finished, shaking his head briefly. The dark-haired Asian hugged himself as a way to stay warm.​

 

[katuago]

Bhanu grimaced a bit as the other man sneezed once more. He found it more than unsavory, if not a bit offensive. Then again, he wondered if maybe it wasn't considered impolite among other people. He had been raised strictly that acts such as coughing or sneezing in another's presence was rude, but, then again, he supposed that might have been true, given the environment he was brought up in. Not royalty, of course--though that would be a high honor, he was not born into the royal family. No, his family wasn't royalty, but they were noble. Noble enough to be allowed to take residence in Capital City with a respected reputation, at least.

"Yes," Bhanu agreed with the other Asian man, forcing down his home-sickness and distaste for someone who was not on equal footing for him, and nodding as he tugged his hood up farther to shield himself from the cold, "it's more than cold. I've never understood how anyone could manage to live so far out in weather such as this," he added, glancing over toward the village. Small talk was common among other people, right? Bhanu had no experience with people other than the ruthless, manipulative children of other noble families in Capital City. But he had read many books on the world outside the Fire Nation, and he assumed conversation on little things was common.

He let out a small sigh, straightening back up and brushing some clumps of snow from his coat. "Are you headed toward the village?" He asked, his gray eyes flickering back over to the man. His tone wasn't unfriendly, but it was more professional than anything else. As it should be, given Bhanu had never conversed with anyone other than those on his social status or in his nation--he was unsure as to what tone he was required to use to interact conversationally with out of those two categories.​

 

[senpai]

"Yes," The stranger agreed, giving a brief nod; though looked unsure. Hieu sniffled, rubbing his nose gingerly. Despite he was used to the cold, it didn't mean he couldn't get sick from it. "It's more than cold. I've never understood how anyone could manage to live so far out in weather such as this," He added, glancing over towards the village. Hieu peered at where the stranger was looking at. It seemed to be a quiet village, or more likely--isolated. It wasn't the first time Hieu visited a village like that, though. He has been in quieter. But he shouldn't judge for now, knowing that he hasn't even visited yet.

Hieu thought what the man said. In this type of temperature, water-benders could easily tolerate the weather. In fact, this would be nothing. Which was incredible, as he found his whole body shaking. His teeth chattered, the blush on his face darkening. It was probably not smart of Hieu to travel in a cold climate--at this rate, he might get frost-bites. Or worse, freeze to death. "Are you headed toward the village?" The stranger asked suddenly.

"Absolutely," Hieu answered, managing a smile. He tugged the warm fabric of his coat closer. "After all, I need a crowd to sell some of my pro--" He paused, realization hitting him like a wave. "Ah!" Taking a random item from his basket, he took out a ball of yarn. Hieu was the type of merchant to carry random items with him, finding the ones that look valuable. "Would you like to buy a yarn? You could knit a scarf to keep your neck warm! You wouldn't want to catch a cold, after all!" He said, attempting to persuade the man, "What do you say? I have red, blue, yellow, green.." Hieu began to list off colors, counting it off with his fingers.​

 

[katuago]

Bhanu was more than surprised at the sudden noise of realization the man made in the middle of his sentence--it caught him off-guard, something he didn't like, but he supposed it wasn't odd that he was surprised. He wasn't used to people like this. Most of the people he'd spoken to personally were more than sure of themselves, and were always sure of what they were going to say before they said it. Speaking to someone who came to a realization or was surprised in the middle of a sentence was something Bhanu wasn't used to.

"Would you like to buy a yarn?" The stranger asked, drawing Bhanu out of his thoughts. He blinked a bit, looking down at the ball of yarn in the man's hand. "You could knit a scarf to keep your neck warm! You wouldn't want to catch a cold, after all!" Bhanu paused at that, glancing at the man's basket before his eyes returned to the ball of yarn. "What do you say? I have red, blue, yellow, green.."

Bhanu hesitated for a moment, his eyes lingering on the yarn. The man was right, of course--Bhanu wouldn't exactly mind buying some yarn from him, given the fact that he could knit. It was more of a relaxation technique than anything; his grandmother had taught him how to do so before she died. But, then again, he didn't have the necessary currency for this nation.

"...No," he said after a moment, shaking his head as his eyes returned to the stranger. "I can't. I only have Fire Nation coins."

 

[senpai]

"..Turquoise, lavender--" Hieu paused, noticing that the stranger was talking. He saw that the man shook his head, his eyes fixed on him. Hieu stared back, curious of what he was going to say next. "I can't. I only have Fire Nation coins." At first, his brain didn't catch the bending race. "Oh, that's fine! I'll just give this to you for free since you saved my life." Hieu forced the man to keep the ball of yarn in his hands, "Think of this as me repaying you back!" Few seconds later, he finally become aware of what the other boy said. "..Wait," Hieu gaped. "Fire Nations coin? How did you get a hold of that?" Another second passed by. Hieu was a slow person in general, another moment wasted for him to think. "Did you," He furrowed his brows, "You're from.." He pursed his lips. An awkward silence passed over. "...Fire-bender," Hieu finally murmured, neither sounding disappointed or afraid.

If he was correct, what is a fire-bender doing here? This weather must be hell! "You're a fire-bender," He said breathlessly, repeating the same label. Hieu gazed at the boy in front of him, waiting for his answer. Unlike him, Hieu wasn't his kind. In fact, Hieu was actually a no-bender. His family never inherited the bending-skill, but Hieu was fine with that. It would be neat to control earth though!​

 

[katuago]

"You're a fire-bender," The man said, and Bhanu shifted a bit where he stood, shoving his mittened hands into his pockets. He sniffed a bit from the wind, the cold biting at his nose and ears in an almost painful way, but it was tolerable--after all, he'd been raised in his training to withstand worse things than something as little as some chilly wind. The again, Bhanu wasn't particularly fond of anything cold, but he knew to withstand it, as a fire-bender should.

"Yes," he eventually said in reply to the other male's statement, nodding curtly. "I am a fire-bender." He let out a small breath, tugging on his scarf to tighten it around his neck to try and block out the cold. "My apologies," he added, his eyes flickering back to the yarn in his hands as he slowly shook his head. He knew the man said he could take the yarn for free as payment for saving his life, but Bhanu didn't want to take any of his products without paying him--he figured traveling and selling things wherever you went would be hard work, and he didn't like the idea of taking anything from him for free when he had to travel through terrain as rough as this for a living. "I don't have the proper currency to purchase your yarn, and I wouldn't be comfortable accepting this without paying for it. Should I manage to find a way to earn the coins necessary for your product, I will contact you to further our relationship as businessman and consumer, seeing as I have a particular fondness for knitting."

He still wasn't used to not using such proper language around people who weren't of noble descent.

He was quick to brush off the topic of his bending. He wasn't ashamed of bending, of course. In fact, he was quite proud of it--he just wasn't used to anyone pointing it out so bluntly or so quickly. He'd never met anyone who'd assumed he was a fire-bender strictly because he had currency needed in the Fire Nation.

He supposed that maybe this man wasn't as unobservant or ignorant as he'd originally pegged him to be.

 

[senpai]

What seemed to be years, the other man finally replied, giving a curt nod. "Yes," he let out a small breath, white air escaping from his lips. "I am a fire-bender." When the foreigner realized he had the ball of yarn under his possession, he slowly shook his head. Hieu cocked his head slightly, confused from the decline. "I don't have the proper currency to purchase your yarn, and I wouldn't be comfortable accepting this without paying for it. Should I...."

At this point, Hieu heard enough. He shook his head furiously, almost getting dizzy from the constant sharp turns. The stranger didn't seem to notice though, not stopping.

"...Our relationship as businessman and consumer, seeing as I have a particular fondness for knitting." Once the stranger finally stopped, Hieu took this chance to speak. "It's fine! Just keep it!" He wildly gestured, almost awkwardly, "You like knitting right?" Hieu stepped closer, determined for the Fire-bender to give in, "Think of this as my repayment." His eyes flickered, basically reading 'even-if-you-say-no-i-will-still-force-it-on-you'.

"Also, you don't need to be so formal," He beamed, giving off a cheeky grin, "We're the same age, right? It's okay to be rowdy once in awhile!" Hieu glanced over at the village, "We're heading to that village over there, right? Then it's best if we go together. The more the merrier."

He then offered his hand, "By the way, my name is Hieu. Hieu Fu--" He gave a brief nod, "And you?" He asked, waiting in anticipation.

​

 

[katuago]

"By the way, my name is Hieu. Hieu Fu--And you?" Bhanu stared at the man's hand for a moment, not quite sure what to say. He'd never had anyone introduce themselves to him before--he'd always known who he was talking to before he began talking to them, and he'd never been in a position like this before. Not only was this man--Hieu, he supposed--introducing himself to him, but he also insisted he was to take the ball of yarn, free of charge.

Honestly, he never knew people like this actually existed.

His lips twitched a bit in a brief frown--but it was gone as soon as it appeared. He didn't know how he was supposed to interact with him. All his life, Bhanu's conversation and interaction with others was different depending on who he was speaking to and why. But he'd never met anyone who was kind to others right from the beginning. He supposed it was just how the outside world worked. It was strange and made him feel slightly uneasy, being unprepared like this, and he figured he'd have to brush up on his research.

"Bhanu," He muttered after a moment, only to clear his throat and reach for his hand to shake it before speaking more clearly, "My name is Bhanu."

He wasn't sure if addressing his last name would be a good move; he had no idea if his family name was as recognizable in the other nations as it was in the Fire Nation, and if it was, he didn't want to scare the poor man without at least getting a map or something beneficial like that out of him.