frost_jewel | 17 [action/written]

[On the border between afternoon and evening of the 31st, the draft ends for Mia. For a while, all she can do is look around at the village, standing still near where they all arrive. Then she takes what remains of her notes to the battledome. To turn them over to...well, whoever is there to give them to. She doesn't want to talk, at least not for very long.

Then she goes home, House 16, and checks on her housemates before taking what is perhaps the longest shower in her entire life. The water is freezing by the time she's done, and she doesn't care. The next morning, whoever wakes first will find the coffee is ready and there is no Mercury Adept in sight.

She's out for a walk. It's not a long one: back to the battledome, to check on people. Any people, but especially those she knows well. If there are questions she has to answer - and she doubts very much there won't be questions - then she will, as polite and quiet as she ever is. When she's through there, she'll head for nearby houses and apartments, without going too far. She knows her limits and is waiting to meet up with them.

That autopilot carries her until midafternoon. What follows isn't exactly a crash. It's a slow spiral, one that finds her walking back to the house at a glacial pace, as though she might find somewhere to hide instead. But she can't. Instead she huddles into a chair in the living room, finally opening the journal to write something.]

Thank you to everyone who was there to help us. [She doesn't feel the need to specify where. The next several things she tries are crossed out, until:] I'm sorry we couldn't do more, sooner.

[[ooc: Whew look at all that action! She's mostly bouncing from house to battledome, and if you want to run into her while she's walking or standing and staring off into space, that's great too!]]

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[In the silence that follows, she finishes her tea. He is probably right. Mia hates to infringe across the line of hypocrisy. Staring into the empty tea mug doesn't help.]

I think I just need time. [Time and distance. Explaining herself and her feelings and responsibilities to Aang would feel like placing a real burden on him.]

Time can help. When I... when I got back, talking to some people did help. But it also helped to take more time to myself to meditate and think things over by myself. It helped me to make a lot of the pain feel... smaller, at least for now. For Ikki. Just know that... If you do wanna talk sometime, I'll do everything I can to help you.

That's very kind of you, Aang. Thank you. [And her smile is real, so the strain also shows.] I'm sorry for being such a terrible hostess.

[He gets up so he can put a hand on her shoulder.]

Hey, if anyone should be apologizing for manners, it should be me for coming to your house at such a late hour. But I had to check on you.

Edited 2012-11-05 20:34 (UTC)

You're so thoughtful, though. [She gets up, too. He does deserve a quick hug for this.] You remind me of another friend of mine.

I try to be. As the Avatar, I gotta look out for everyone. And as myself... a lotta people you looked out for me, even when I thought I had no one, so I wouldn't feel right without doing the same for everyone I know. [And he'll go right into the quick hug, but with a brief firm hold.] I'm glad you got a friend who'd look out for you, too.

[While she misses her friends, she would never ever wish a draft like that one on them. Seeing them infected or dying would have been even worse.]

Someday I want to hear about what it means when you say 'Avatar', Aang.

Oh, I'm sorry. I still forget a lot here... that not a lot of people know what being the Avatar means. I can explain it to you. The short version is, the one who's gotta keep peace in the world.

[What a heavy burden on the shoulders of a child.]

Keeping peace is hard enough in one small village.

It can be. [Man have they had their share of difficult villages.] That's why my friends are so important. I couldn't have gotten so far, gotten so much done for the world, without them.

I know exactly what you mean, Aang.

[He nods.]

I'm glad you know what it means to have friends like that back home. And... and you have friends here, too. For whenever you need them, Mia.

Thank you. Really, I'm touched that you came all this way to check on me even though you're tired, too.

Hey. You helped me at the draft when you probably weren't feeling the best either. And... I guess I still got some sugar in me tonight. But... since I said what I have to, I should probably leave you to rest, soon, shouldn't I?

I would never ask you to leave like that. [Unless, of course, one of her housemates wished him to. They do all need to rest.]

[He nods.]

Okay. I just wanted to make sure. I can stay as long as you need me to.

I should be more concerned about keeping you from your rest. It sounds like you had a busy day.

It's fine. It was busy with fun, at least. And like I said, I still got some sugar in me. Would you like some candies, Mia?

No thank you, I'm not very hungry. [She turned them down from Grune also.]

I'll leave some anyway. So you can have them later! Or maybe your housemates will like some.

[He takes a handful of candy out of his pockets, from Hershey's Kisses to minty chocolates, and he rests them on the table.]