♦ ♦ 5th Contract

[mortemscintilla]

 [ It's routine for him to patrol the neighborhood. Hidden on rooftops under the dark sky. Skulking unseen in alleyways. On guard for strange activity. It's the only time he feels like himself anymore. The daylight hours, his mundane obligations, leave too much time to speculate where his life is going. What his life here is. ]

[ No Syndicate. No Gate. No Contractors. No teammates. ]

[ At least this keeps him focused. Allows him to sharpen skills, burn energies, that can be exerted no other way. At quarter to two a.m., a round completed, he slips into civilian clothes. As Li, he walks the empty streets. Stops off at a store for a quart of milk on his way towards a hot bath and bed. The clerk, a pretty redhead, smiles and rings up his order. Hei smiles back. ]

It's a really nice night out, isn't it? I can see all the stars.

[ Patrols are perfunctory. But tonight he's filled with (inexplicable) jubilation. So much that he leans across the counter, tipping the girl's chin up for a kiss. Which. Goes on. And on. And ... Okay, kids. Enough. After a moment Hei jerks back, red-faced and stammering. ]

Ah! S-Sorry about that! I think -- I-I-I think it's a curse.

[ The girl blushes and mumbles likewise. Flustered, Hei grabs his purchase and hurries off. She watches him go, a guilty little smile on her lips. Someone doesn't seem to have minded. ]

[ OOC: Hit with Victory Kisses. Feel free to run into him and get smooched, or vice versa. Just a warning: he may freeze up/eyetwitch/smack/injure your character. Or just blush and sob hideously! Whichever reaction you want is upto you! ]

Comments

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[anatural]

[Korra used to sleep. Work hard, play harder, sleep deeply -- that was how she lived until Republic City. Now she can almost mark the hours at night by how often her nightmares wake her. Amon taking her bending. The Equalists killing her friends. The addition of Stupid Mask Guy added a surreal flavor to her darkest dreams.

Sometimes, when she couldn't bear the thought of going back to dreaming, she'd slip out of the apartment and patrol the streets. She ran into Stupid Mask Guy once that way -- it could happen again, and nothing would make her feel better than smashing his face in.

Tonight is one such night. She catches sight of Li hurrying out of a store. What's he doing out this late?]

action;

[mortemscintilla]

[ Luckily -- or unluckily -- Contractors don't dream. At least that's what Hei hears. He's never bought it. He does dream. Just of nothing he'd prefer to share. Violence and bloodshed. Pai. Heaven's War. By morning, he's always shoved the bloody images to the corners of his mind. ]

[ Exiting the store, he frowns. What was that? A powerful curse. He should get indoors - quick - before anything stupider occurs. Midway down the street, his sees a familiar figure. ]

[ Perfect. Ignoring her would be suspicious. Best to engage in chitchat. ]

Ah -- Korra?

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[anatural]

[Korra rocks back on her heels and studies him.]

Hey. You're out pretty late.

[Smooth investigator, this one.]

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[mortemscintilla]

[ Smiling, he holds up his bag of milk. ]

I was out star-gazing. Decided to do some last-minute grocery shopping. [ Viola, distractions. ] I'm planning to bake a cake tomorrow.

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[anatural]

At this hour? [Weird.]

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[mortemscintilla]

[ Feigning embarrassment. ]

I'm a restless sleeper. And City-time feels different from time in my own world. Maybe I have a strange case of jet-lag. Without the travel and airplanes.

[ Does Korra's world even have airplanes? ]

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[anatural]

It's pretty weird, isn't it? We'd just got out of winter back home, and here is... [Uncomfortable shrug. She's not a fan of the heat.]

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[mortemscintilla]

Really? [ Blinking. ] That's rough. Maybe an icy treat could help with that? Keep the heat from getting unpleasant.

[ ...all life's problems can be solved with food... ]

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[anatural]

Like what?

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[mortemscintilla]

Oh, lots of things. [ Full of enthusiasm. ] Iced Apricots. Cherry parfait. Champagne fruit salad.

[ ...blahblahblahblah... ]

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[anatural]

That's all sweet stuff.

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[mortemscintilla]

Um -- yes? That's what desserts are.

[ U///U ]

Don't you like sweets?

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[anatural]

Not really. I mean, a little sweet is good - like lychee juice - but I don't really like sugar.

action;

[mortemscintilla]

...Were your parents dentists?

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[anatural]

.....................what?

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[mortemscintilla]

Um -- people who examine teeth?

They're the ones who always lecture about sugar.

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[anatural]

I don't have a problem with sugar. I just don't really like it.

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[mortemscintilla]

Well -- you like lychees, right?

I know tons of recipes for them. Iced Lychees. Baked Lychees. Lychee custard tart. Lychee ice cream.

[ ...lycheeslycheeslycheeeeeeeeeeees... ]

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[anatural]

You sure know how to cook a lot.

[You might have some redeeming value after all.]

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[mortemscintilla]

[ Blushing. ]

It's a hobby of mine.

[ A way to keep his mind centered. A practical skill. Whether in a warzone or a death-camp, people need to eat. ]

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[anatural]

[Congratulations, Li. You appear sufficiently harmless and are sufficiently distracting that Korra...now feels sleepy again. She fights back a yawn.]

I should probably let you get home. You've got a cake to bake tomorrow.

action;

[mortemscintilla]

[ Success! ] Right. [ He smiles and nods. ] Have a good night, Korra.

[ He turns to go. But the curse is like a hook to the vitals. Without warning, he steps up to her. Both hands framing her face. Leaning in, he presses a soft kiss to her lips. ]

action; 1/;lakjsdfakl;sdjf

[anatural]

[WHAT.]

action; 2/i will let you know

[anatural]

[WHAT.]

Re: action;

[anatural]

[WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!?!?!??!?!??!]