So far, she hadnât screwed anything up.
Granted, the gala had only just started, and the dancing hadnât even begun yet, but considering the ridiculous height of these shoes and the fanciness of this cheongsamâshe finally had a use for the one Rika had bought herâmaking it even this far was a positive sign. Kiara had arrived alone, though Mr. Tong had insisted upon sending a car to take her here, which was nice, but personally a little silly in her opinion. She was situated in a bit of a corner, though she wasnât exactly hiding. Still, sheâd be a lot more comfortable once her teammates got here. For now, she focused on staying away from the wine. It turned out that the Pygmy Pumas were here, too, but from the looks of things, they were all quite occupied talking to various business owners. She supposed they were the most famous probending team in all of Republic City, so she wasnât surprised they had fans even among the wealthiest of the citizens.
Fang was around somewhere; sheâd seen him earlier. She wasnât honestly sure if he was working security for the event or here as their coach. The security staff was dressed so well he probably would have worn the same thing anywayâand she had to admit he looked rather sharp. Black was a really good color on him, even if the monochrome might have been too harsh on someone else. She supposed at least the gold embroidery helped soften things a bit. At any rate, she hadnât seen him again since, though she could only assume he was around somewhere.
Sighing, she bit into the strawberry sheâd plucked from she snack table, trying not to be nervous. It wasnât that people intimidated her as such, but such obvious displays of wealth were a little irregular for her. Even in the tribes, the richer families didnât really flaunt it, out of respect for the hard work that everyone shared, and the fact that they were all one tribe in the end. This was⊠very different from that, and for a moment, she wondered if maybe Kohaku was rightâthat she didnât really belong in a place like this.
She'd been lucky thus far. Every dance she had been invited to, Rika managed to not step on anyone's toes, and managed to keep in a rather pleasant rhythm. She wouldn't have known what to do without all the tutelage, and for that, she would be forever grateful. The cheongsam Kiara had bought her, finally had a use, and she wore it, though... she had second guesses about it now. It was a little daring, as one way to put it, with the way it slit up her leg, and she had never felt the urge to hide every time someone would just look at her. She wasn't used to this sort of attention. She had managed to style her hair, short as it was, in light curls.
They curved in to the left side of her face, and had placed a silver phoenix hairpin to keep the rest of her hair from falling out. She shook her head slightly, declining a dance with another person and quickly made her way towards Kiara. She'd spotted her moments ago, and was trying to find her way towards the waterbender. She'd arrived earlier, and Rika had wanted to greet Kiara, however; she'd been thwarted in her plans multiple times. Even now, as she made her way towards Kiara, she could see Haki moving in, and groaned inwardly at herself. She really had terrible luck tonight, and almost tripped over her own feet. She managed to catch herself, and glanced around her to see if anyone else had seen her little mishap. Satisfied that no one had, she continued walking as if nothing happened.
Haki, however, had just arrived, dressed in a white tangzhuang, and a black pair of rather slick, silk pants. He was dressed rather formally, and even his hair seemed to be styled as such. Rather than the loose bed head he usually adorned, his hair had been parted down the right side of his face, allowing some pieces to wing out from his eyes. The blue embroidery in his tangzhuang helped bring out his pale pallor, and, had Rika really looked, he almost looked like a ghost. He managed to spot Kiara, and a smirk pulled at his lips, approaching her just as she bit into the strawberry.
"Turtle-Duck," he greeted, placing his right hand over his stomach, and bowed. He straightened himself back out, and glanced over his shoulder, spotting Rika making her way over towards the two. He grinned at her and turned his attention back to Kiara. He held his hand out and offered Kiara a small smile. "Care to dance?" he questioned, his tone laced with slight amusement. "I promise not to step on your toes."
If Kiara had been able to spot Rika in the crowd, she probably would have declined due to the distress her friend was obviously under. It would have been a small relief not to dance for a while, and just stay relatively safe in one anotherâs company and conversation, but as it was, she didnât see their third teammate making a beeline for them through the crowd, and so she had no real reason to decline, though she did frown at Haki. âImplying that you would step on someone elseâs feet? Thatâs mean, Haki.â The frown melted into a smile though, and she placed her hand in his. There was something very funny about him using all the polite manners while still referring to her as Turlte-Duck. She was pretty sure only Haki would ever be quite so silly as that, but it had a certain way of putting her at ease, a reminder that for all the obvious wealth and ceremony around them, they were still the same people as saw one another sweaty and exhausted in the practice room every weekday.
It was a nice reminder.
They slid out onto the dance floor, and it was immediately obvious that Fangâs lessons had paid off. Kiara had always been graceful, but now she also knew how to dance in the styles used in Republic Cityâwhich was to say mostly the stately Earth Nation waltzes. Sheâd never say so, but sheâd also practiced a few less subdued Fire Nation ones, because they were more similar to the way people danced in the tribes, and she was intrigued by the resemblance. Regardless, he wasnât the only one not stepping on toes.
By the time Rika reached the place the other two had been before, the only person there was Fang. He looked the slightest bit uncomfortable for a second, but then his face smoothed over. Heâd decided shortly after the incident that the best thing for everyone involved would be to behave as though it had never happened, and he figured that probably started now. âYouâve been doing well,â he said simply, referring to the fact that she had danced several times with various people and comported herself appropriately. It was impossible to tell that three weeks before, sheâd not known the first thing about dancing or the manners expected at events like this one. He was quite proud of them both, actually.
"Actually, yes, I am implying that I would," he replied to her statement. And he actually did step on someone's toes on purpose, once. The woman was a horrid dancer, and he wasn't even sure how he managed that one in the first place. Chuckling lightly, he slid his hand closed over hers, and led them out to the dance floor. The moment they began, he could already see the improvement she had made over the last three weeks. His toes were safe and they glided with a natural rhythm, that caused Haki to frown. He quickly replaced it with a light smile, glancing down at Kiara.
"Not bad, Turtle-Duck, not bad," he stated, his smile turning into a smirk. "It seems that my feet have no fear of you stepping on them," he playfully joked, spinning her lightly when it was time. He took a deep breath, his eyes glazing over slightly as he glanced over her shoulder. Why did it have to feel this way, so natural, so... right? He'd known his two friends a little over a year now, and he knew exactly what it was, but did not know why it was so. He parted his lips to speak once more, however; he closed them just as quickly, and laughed at his own hesitance. Now was not the time to say something like that, even if it were laced as a joke. Maybe because he was a little afraid of hearing the answer. He almost laughed at himself.
Of all the things Haki Soen was afraid of, it was that from her.
By the time Rika reached Haki and Kiara, both of them were gone, and swaying on the dance floor. She pursed her lips together and groaned out loud, covering her mouth when she realized what she did. She blinked owlishly at Fang. When did he get there? She shook the thought from her mind. It didn't matter, and for a moment, she offered him a smile. At least she didn't have to be alone quite yet. And then it hit her, what happened the prior night. She offered him a nervous laugh, and tried to focus on his statement. She waved a hand in front of her face, trying to stave off a blush from forming. She'd been doing well only because she'd been taught the last three weeks.
"I suppose it's because I had a good teacher. Haki doesn't count as one," she stated, her face immediately going flat at the mention of Haki. She turned to glance over her shoulder and shot him a glare before turning back towards Fang. "And I suppose I have you to thank for that, too," she continued, glancing up at him. Why did he have to be so... tall? She pursed her lips together and sighed. "But I don't think they are quite over just yet... and I am bad at saying no," her frown deepened. She'd been referring to the dances, though. She'd dance if she had to, and really, she had a hard time saying no to people. Maybe it was just the waitress in her that couldn't say no to a customer?
It was hard to suppress the unladylike snort that threatened when he confessed to stepping on someoneâs toes on purpose, and in the end, she didnât quite manage it, ending up snickering a bit as she was spun around. Maybe it was just because heâd been her practice partner, but dancing with Haki was a lot easier than dancing with most people. She was just a fraction shorter than he was when she wore heels, and the matched height made everything smoother, perhaps. There was also just the fact that she was more comfortable with him than a total stranger, for sure.
âAnd what do you know, youâre not stepping on mine either. I must have done something right,â she ribbed back, smiling and shaking her head. Catching sight of something over his shoulder, she ducked herself down into it in order to keep from giggling. âAlso, donât look now,â she murmured against the fabric of his shirt, âbut I think Ying is having a bit of trouble.â Indeed, Ying was dancing with Zian, but both of them seemed to want to lead, their movement pattern slightly irregular. If sheâd continued watching, she would have noted that the pair seemed to be attempting to get closer to them, though she wouldnât have understood it.
Fang folded his arms behind his back, blinking down at Rika with some curiosity. Difficulty saying no? He supposed heâd noticed that tendency, though it was passing strange in someone who was otherwise quite strong-willed. âThe best way to overcome that is to make sure nobody asks in the first place, then,â he told her. He would not have advised wearing those clothes if that was what she wanted, but he refrained from saying this. âPerhaps you could locate yourself next to the refreshment table? Or engage someone important in conversation so nobody will interrupt. Or simply choose your own dance partners, I suppose.â He lifted his shoulders faintly, then nodded over at the dance floor.
âI do believe Ying is attempting to firebend with only her eyes.â And Kiara was the apparent target of a truly obvious jealous stare.
Haki blinked in mild surprise at Kiara and turned them so that he was facing the direction she had been, and his face paled considerably. She was right, Ying and Zian seemed to be having a bit of difficulty, however; he did not miss the way they stepped and waltzed a little closer to them. Glancing from side to side, Haki began moving them away from the duo, trying to keep as much distance between him and them. He had a feeling he knew what was going to happen once he separated from Kiara, and he had no intentions of sharing her with him. And he definitely had no intentions with dancing with the firebender who, for some reason, terrified him. Maybe he'd been lying to himself. There were two things Haki Soen was afraid of.
"Let's see how long we can dance and blend in with the crowd, hm?" he suggested, tugging her to follow along with him. He turned once more towards Zian, catching the waterbender's eye, and smirked in his direction. It was a game of cat and mouse, though he wasn't exactly quite sure who was the cat, and who was the mouse. "And you don't need to do anything for me to not step on your toes. Your toes are too..." he paused, drawing out the sentence, trying to find the right word. "I'm afraid you might try to drown me with punch if I stepped on your toes," he finally stated. Or she'd just drown him in general with something.
"That is easier said than done," Rika replied, sighing softly and slumping her shoulders. She quickly picked them back up, however, and raised a questioning brow at Fang. "Are you saying that you're not important?" she questioned, her eyes going a little wide at the realization of what she had just said. She laughed nervously and rolled her eyes at herself. "I mean... that's not," she tried to correct herself. She hadn't meant to say it like that. She managed to calm herself and blinked, turning to stare at Ying, and closed a hand over her mouth. She was trying not to laugh, but it appeared that Ying was staring intently at Kiara and Haki.
"It's because she's jealous of their, ah, friendship," she stated, snorting softly. She didn't like Ying much, if only because of the way she had treated Kiara. Rika could forgive someone for shoving her harshly out of the way, however; she had shoved both her and Kiara out of the way during the parade. She pursed her lips together and shook her head slowly. "I guess most people just can't help it," she muttered a bit lowly, her voice taking on a solemn tone. She turned to glance back up at Fang, and opened her mouth to say something, however; the sound of someone clearing their throat caused Rika to turn towards the source, and smiled brightly.
"Rika, Fang," Daichi stated, bowing slightly in front of Rika and offering a nod in Fang's direction. "Care to join me, Rika? If you are not already dancing with Fang, that is," he asked, offering his hand out to Rika. She blinked owlishly at Daichi, glancing towards Fang as if seeking silent permission. Realizing what she was doing, she shook her head and laughed softly at herself. She slid her hand into Daichi's, and took one last glance over her shoulder.
"Thanks, Fang."
Unfortunately, Ying did eventually corner Haki into a dance, and Kiara turned a Fire Nation tango with Zian, who apparently knew the steps very well. It was rather fun, actually, and the night as a whole didnât go nearly so badly as sheâd been dreading. By the time it was wrapped up, sheâd socialized with a number of the most important people in the city, spent time with her friends, danced a round each with Fang and Daichi as well, and generally enjoyed herself. Kiara considered it a success of a night, really, and as she entered her apartment at too late that night for most people, she found herself in the strangest mood.
She went to sleep, and dreamed that night of the smell of a warm fire and fresh air, and waltzing across an empty floor in the sky.
Granted, the gala had only just started, and the dancing hadnât even begun yet, but considering the ridiculous height of these shoes and the fanciness of this cheongsamâshe finally had a use for the one Rika had bought herâmaking it even this far was a positive sign. Kiara had arrived alone, though Mr. Tong had insisted upon sending a car to take her here, which was nice, but personally a little silly in her opinion. She was situated in a bit of a corner, though she wasnât exactly hiding. Still, sheâd be a lot more comfortable once her teammates got here. For now, she focused on staying away from the wine. It turned out that the Pygmy Pumas were here, too, but from the looks of things, they were all quite occupied talking to various business owners. She supposed they were the most famous probending team in all of Republic City, so she wasnât surprised they had fans even among the wealthiest of the citizens.
Fang was around somewhere; sheâd seen him earlier. She wasnât honestly sure if he was working security for the event or here as their coach. The security staff was dressed so well he probably would have worn the same thing anywayâand she had to admit he looked rather sharp. Black was a really good color on him, even if the monochrome might have been too harsh on someone else. She supposed at least the gold embroidery helped soften things a bit. At any rate, she hadnât seen him again since, though she could only assume he was around somewhere.
Sighing, she bit into the strawberry sheâd plucked from she snack table, trying not to be nervous. It wasnât that people intimidated her as such, but such obvious displays of wealth were a little irregular for her. Even in the tribes, the richer families didnât really flaunt it, out of respect for the hard work that everyone shared, and the fact that they were all one tribe in the end. This was⊠very different from that, and for a moment, she wondered if maybe Kohaku was rightâthat she didnât really belong in a place like this.
She'd been lucky thus far. Every dance she had been invited to, Rika managed to not step on anyone's toes, and managed to keep in a rather pleasant rhythm. She wouldn't have known what to do without all the tutelage, and for that, she would be forever grateful. The cheongsam Kiara had bought her, finally had a use, and she wore it, though... she had second guesses about it now. It was a little daring, as one way to put it, with the way it slit up her leg, and she had never felt the urge to hide every time someone would just look at her. She wasn't used to this sort of attention. She had managed to style her hair, short as it was, in light curls.
They curved in to the left side of her face, and had placed a silver phoenix hairpin to keep the rest of her hair from falling out. She shook her head slightly, declining a dance with another person and quickly made her way towards Kiara. She'd spotted her moments ago, and was trying to find her way towards the waterbender. She'd arrived earlier, and Rika had wanted to greet Kiara, however; she'd been thwarted in her plans multiple times. Even now, as she made her way towards Kiara, she could see Haki moving in, and groaned inwardly at herself. She really had terrible luck tonight, and almost tripped over her own feet. She managed to catch herself, and glanced around her to see if anyone else had seen her little mishap. Satisfied that no one had, she continued walking as if nothing happened.
Haki, however, had just arrived, dressed in a white tangzhuang, and a black pair of rather slick, silk pants. He was dressed rather formally, and even his hair seemed to be styled as such. Rather than the loose bed head he usually adorned, his hair had been parted down the right side of his face, allowing some pieces to wing out from his eyes. The blue embroidery in his tangzhuang helped bring out his pale pallor, and, had Rika really looked, he almost looked like a ghost. He managed to spot Kiara, and a smirk pulled at his lips, approaching her just as she bit into the strawberry.
"Turtle-Duck," he greeted, placing his right hand over his stomach, and bowed. He straightened himself back out, and glanced over his shoulder, spotting Rika making her way over towards the two. He grinned at her and turned his attention back to Kiara. He held his hand out and offered Kiara a small smile. "Care to dance?" he questioned, his tone laced with slight amusement. "I promise not to step on your toes."
If Kiara had been able to spot Rika in the crowd, she probably would have declined due to the distress her friend was obviously under. It would have been a small relief not to dance for a while, and just stay relatively safe in one anotherâs company and conversation, but as it was, she didnât see their third teammate making a beeline for them through the crowd, and so she had no real reason to decline, though she did frown at Haki. âImplying that you would step on someone elseâs feet? Thatâs mean, Haki.â The frown melted into a smile though, and she placed her hand in his. There was something very funny about him using all the polite manners while still referring to her as Turlte-Duck. She was pretty sure only Haki would ever be quite so silly as that, but it had a certain way of putting her at ease, a reminder that for all the obvious wealth and ceremony around them, they were still the same people as saw one another sweaty and exhausted in the practice room every weekday.
It was a nice reminder.
They slid out onto the dance floor, and it was immediately obvious that Fangâs lessons had paid off. Kiara had always been graceful, but now she also knew how to dance in the styles used in Republic Cityâwhich was to say mostly the stately Earth Nation waltzes. Sheâd never say so, but sheâd also practiced a few less subdued Fire Nation ones, because they were more similar to the way people danced in the tribes, and she was intrigued by the resemblance. Regardless, he wasnât the only one not stepping on toes.
By the time Rika reached the place the other two had been before, the only person there was Fang. He looked the slightest bit uncomfortable for a second, but then his face smoothed over. Heâd decided shortly after the incident that the best thing for everyone involved would be to behave as though it had never happened, and he figured that probably started now. âYouâve been doing well,â he said simply, referring to the fact that she had danced several times with various people and comported herself appropriately. It was impossible to tell that three weeks before, sheâd not known the first thing about dancing or the manners expected at events like this one. He was quite proud of them both, actually.
"Actually, yes, I am implying that I would," he replied to her statement. And he actually did step on someone's toes on purpose, once. The woman was a horrid dancer, and he wasn't even sure how he managed that one in the first place. Chuckling lightly, he slid his hand closed over hers, and led them out to the dance floor. The moment they began, he could already see the improvement she had made over the last three weeks. His toes were safe and they glided with a natural rhythm, that caused Haki to frown. He quickly replaced it with a light smile, glancing down at Kiara.
"Not bad, Turtle-Duck, not bad," he stated, his smile turning into a smirk. "It seems that my feet have no fear of you stepping on them," he playfully joked, spinning her lightly when it was time. He took a deep breath, his eyes glazing over slightly as he glanced over her shoulder. Why did it have to feel this way, so natural, so... right? He'd known his two friends a little over a year now, and he knew exactly what it was, but did not know why it was so. He parted his lips to speak once more, however; he closed them just as quickly, and laughed at his own hesitance. Now was not the time to say something like that, even if it were laced as a joke. Maybe because he was a little afraid of hearing the answer. He almost laughed at himself.
Of all the things Haki Soen was afraid of, it was that from her.
By the time Rika reached Haki and Kiara, both of them were gone, and swaying on the dance floor. She pursed her lips together and groaned out loud, covering her mouth when she realized what she did. She blinked owlishly at Fang. When did he get there? She shook the thought from her mind. It didn't matter, and for a moment, she offered him a smile. At least she didn't have to be alone quite yet. And then it hit her, what happened the prior night. She offered him a nervous laugh, and tried to focus on his statement. She waved a hand in front of her face, trying to stave off a blush from forming. She'd been doing well only because she'd been taught the last three weeks.
"I suppose it's because I had a good teacher. Haki doesn't count as one," she stated, her face immediately going flat at the mention of Haki. She turned to glance over her shoulder and shot him a glare before turning back towards Fang. "And I suppose I have you to thank for that, too," she continued, glancing up at him. Why did he have to be so... tall? She pursed her lips together and sighed. "But I don't think they are quite over just yet... and I am bad at saying no," her frown deepened. She'd been referring to the dances, though. She'd dance if she had to, and really, she had a hard time saying no to people. Maybe it was just the waitress in her that couldn't say no to a customer?
It was hard to suppress the unladylike snort that threatened when he confessed to stepping on someoneâs toes on purpose, and in the end, she didnât quite manage it, ending up snickering a bit as she was spun around. Maybe it was just because heâd been her practice partner, but dancing with Haki was a lot easier than dancing with most people. She was just a fraction shorter than he was when she wore heels, and the matched height made everything smoother, perhaps. There was also just the fact that she was more comfortable with him than a total stranger, for sure.
âAnd what do you know, youâre not stepping on mine either. I must have done something right,â she ribbed back, smiling and shaking her head. Catching sight of something over his shoulder, she ducked herself down into it in order to keep from giggling. âAlso, donât look now,â she murmured against the fabric of his shirt, âbut I think Ying is having a bit of trouble.â Indeed, Ying was dancing with Zian, but both of them seemed to want to lead, their movement pattern slightly irregular. If sheâd continued watching, she would have noted that the pair seemed to be attempting to get closer to them, though she wouldnât have understood it.
Fang folded his arms behind his back, blinking down at Rika with some curiosity. Difficulty saying no? He supposed heâd noticed that tendency, though it was passing strange in someone who was otherwise quite strong-willed. âThe best way to overcome that is to make sure nobody asks in the first place, then,â he told her. He would not have advised wearing those clothes if that was what she wanted, but he refrained from saying this. âPerhaps you could locate yourself next to the refreshment table? Or engage someone important in conversation so nobody will interrupt. Or simply choose your own dance partners, I suppose.â He lifted his shoulders faintly, then nodded over at the dance floor.
âI do believe Ying is attempting to firebend with only her eyes.â And Kiara was the apparent target of a truly obvious jealous stare.
Haki blinked in mild surprise at Kiara and turned them so that he was facing the direction she had been, and his face paled considerably. She was right, Ying and Zian seemed to be having a bit of difficulty, however; he did not miss the way they stepped and waltzed a little closer to them. Glancing from side to side, Haki began moving them away from the duo, trying to keep as much distance between him and them. He had a feeling he knew what was going to happen once he separated from Kiara, and he had no intentions of sharing her with him. And he definitely had no intentions with dancing with the firebender who, for some reason, terrified him. Maybe he'd been lying to himself. There were two things Haki Soen was afraid of.
"Let's see how long we can dance and blend in with the crowd, hm?" he suggested, tugging her to follow along with him. He turned once more towards Zian, catching the waterbender's eye, and smirked in his direction. It was a game of cat and mouse, though he wasn't exactly quite sure who was the cat, and who was the mouse. "And you don't need to do anything for me to not step on your toes. Your toes are too..." he paused, drawing out the sentence, trying to find the right word. "I'm afraid you might try to drown me with punch if I stepped on your toes," he finally stated. Or she'd just drown him in general with something.
"That is easier said than done," Rika replied, sighing softly and slumping her shoulders. She quickly picked them back up, however, and raised a questioning brow at Fang. "Are you saying that you're not important?" she questioned, her eyes going a little wide at the realization of what she had just said. She laughed nervously and rolled her eyes at herself. "I mean... that's not," she tried to correct herself. She hadn't meant to say it like that. She managed to calm herself and blinked, turning to stare at Ying, and closed a hand over her mouth. She was trying not to laugh, but it appeared that Ying was staring intently at Kiara and Haki.
"It's because she's jealous of their, ah, friendship," she stated, snorting softly. She didn't like Ying much, if only because of the way she had treated Kiara. Rika could forgive someone for shoving her harshly out of the way, however; she had shoved both her and Kiara out of the way during the parade. She pursed her lips together and shook her head slowly. "I guess most people just can't help it," she muttered a bit lowly, her voice taking on a solemn tone. She turned to glance back up at Fang, and opened her mouth to say something, however; the sound of someone clearing their throat caused Rika to turn towards the source, and smiled brightly.
"Rika, Fang," Daichi stated, bowing slightly in front of Rika and offering a nod in Fang's direction. "Care to join me, Rika? If you are not already dancing with Fang, that is," he asked, offering his hand out to Rika. She blinked owlishly at Daichi, glancing towards Fang as if seeking silent permission. Realizing what she was doing, she shook her head and laughed softly at herself. She slid her hand into Daichi's, and took one last glance over her shoulder.
"Thanks, Fang."
Unfortunately, Ying did eventually corner Haki into a dance, and Kiara turned a Fire Nation tango with Zian, who apparently knew the steps very well. It was rather fun, actually, and the night as a whole didnât go nearly so badly as sheâd been dreading. By the time it was wrapped up, sheâd socialized with a number of the most important people in the city, spent time with her friends, danced a round each with Fang and Daichi as well, and generally enjoyed herself. Kiara considered it a success of a night, really, and as she entered her apartment at too late that night for most people, she found herself in the strangest mood.
She went to sleep, and dreamed that night of the smell of a warm fire and fresh air, and waltzing across an empty floor in the sky.