Chapter Text
It was late in the afternoon when Jae was able to take time off for lunch, and Datu came to visit and drag him out for a snack, because he was in the mood for kachoris again.
“Plus,” Datu added as he tugged a weary but fond Jae along through a bustling city still in the middle of repairs and filled with weird glowing red rocks. “They’ve got milk bread cream rolls today!” He winked at Jae, clearly not letting the worrisome atmosphere bother him. And he wasn’t unusual: plenty of people were trying to stay cheery, though Karthik said there were more people asking what to do about the strange rocks every day.
Jae followed and put a smile on his face as he said, “Okay, okay, I get it…” Karthik had told him to take the day off from extra training, since he needed it. Jae wasn’t a fan, and he imagined Pavi might need the support, so he was thinking of going anyway, later, to see how she was doing. Maybe I can get her a snack from the store.
Then he became confused when he saw familiar gray and black cat-monkeys resting outside Agam’s sweet shop, in the shadow of the front awning.
“Oh,” Datu said in surprise as he looked at the cat-monkeys. “They’re cute!”
“Ah hah, yeah…” Jae said as he tried not to make eye contact with the animals, especially Geet, who was staring at him. Jae ushered Datu into the shop. “Really cute!” No one had told him the twins were outside, and he hoped it was just some miscommunication…
The inside of the shop had a tall ceiling and the walls were covered in shelves filled with warm baked goods, while the air was filled with the smell of fresh bread and spices.
People sat at tables inside and in the open porch area along a far wall, sipping tea and eating sweets. Including two twin Avatars, both of whom waved excitedly at Jae as he continued to stare at them.
It felt like there was a stone in his stomach dropping lower and lower.
“Oh, your family friends again?” Datu asked as he saw where Jae was looking.
“Ah, yeah…” Jae said as he walked over to the two girls, wanting to ask just what they were doing out and about?! But instead he forced a smile and asked, “He-ey… fancy seeing you both here!” His right hand went for his ear and he could feel Datu entirely close to him. And the Avatars. Who were sitting right there. “Pavi, Nisha, this is Datu. Datu, Pavi and Nisha. You met already…” It was unavoidable to introduce them: it would be rude not to, and Datu would only ask more questions.
Where’s a wagon when you need one, Jae thought, desperately.
“I wanted to try the kachoris again!” Pavi said with a grin at Jae. Despite her wariness of people, particularly members of the Brigade, the way she lit up when Jae was around was always warming.
It even managed to get Jae to stop pulling his ear and hair so hard. It’ll be okay. We’ve gotten by so far.
Or at least he could hope.
“Oh, you like Agam’s kachoris?” Datu asked with a smile. “They’re great! But have you tried the bhakarwadi?”
Pavi shook her head, but her eyes gleamed.
Datu looked to Jae and said, “Sit down, I’ll get us something to eat,” before heading off.
Jae noticed the girls already pushed out a chair for him, and he obediently sat. He glanced around and then whispered as quietly as he could, “Should you really be here? If the commander sees you…” He couldn’t see Karthik, Shilpa, or Hamka anywhere, which meant they were definitely skipping out again, like when Nisha had joined him to chase after Pavi…
“It’ll be fine,” Nisha said with a wave of her hand. “Most people are at work anyway.” As usual, she sounded older than her nine years, and Jae respected her confidence, even if he felt she was ignoring the gravity of the situation a bit too much.
“It only takes a few people to remember the twins riding monkey-cats,” Jae said with a nervous glance around. Really, no one was paying attention to them, but people couldn’t have ignored the creatures at the storefront.
“That’s why they’re not in here,” Pavi said with a grin. “We just look like kids!”
You are kids, Jae wanted to say. And they were. But they were more than that, too.
“People are scared of the red rocks, anyway,” Nisha said. “and staying home. If anything, they might get worried that Ruhi and Geet will act up like other animals have.”
Jae’s expression grew somber. They hadn’t yet figured out what was wrong with the animals, or what the red stones left by the Anomaly were doing. Shilpa had suggested there was a connection between them and the red eyes, given Bountan’s eyes after he fought the Anomaly, and reports of animals acting odd around them. But there was nothing anyone could prove. The Anomaly thankfully hadn’t returned. But it also meant no new answers.
“But keeping them penned up in the Brigade Compound is cruel!” Pavi said, looking sad. “Though… you don’t think what happened to the camodillo will happen to them, do you, Jae?”
“I don’t know,” Jae said, gazing seriously at her. “I like to think it won’t, but there’s no way to know. Maybe…” He’d been planning to say that keeping Geet and Ruhi off the streets might even protect them, like people who’d opted to keep their animals away from the rocks, but what did he know? The Anomaly and storm affected the whole haven. It was possible walls made no difference.
And it felt too much like lying to say otherwise.
“Maybe what?” Nisha asked with a frown. Jae could see she’d reached out to hold Pavi’s hand. And for all Nisha was putting on a brash face, he could tell she was worried.
It’s wrong that kids their age should be like this, Jae thought. Benders don’t get recruited this young… And they have to fight something we don’t understand at all. It was hard to accept his role in the Order of the White Lotus as a teacher when he didn’t know how to prepare his students for the world out there. Airbending wouldn’t solve this.
The smell of warm coconut filled the air and Jae turned to see Datu arriving with a fresh plate of bhakarwadi and a smaller one with a milk bread cream roll on it. He set them down on the table before Jae and grinned when Pavi gestured to the opposite free chair. “Thank you so much! Dig in!”
Pavi needed no further invitation.
Nisha looked at Datu thoughtfully before grabbing a piece of bhakarwadi, carefully nibbling it. Her eyes widened in surprise, and then she finished off that piece before going for another.
“Is something wrong, Jae?” Datu asked, watching as Jae was gazing at the girls.
Jae knew they were still on awkward ground. The reassurances of the past days wouldn’t always be enough when the reality of the situation – the situation being the two Avatars before them – was right in his face. But it wasn’t like he could explain everything here and now. People would definitely pay attention if he said, “So these two girls are the Avatars.”
Instead, Jae reached out for the roll and tore off the end: it was neatly cut to form a small sandwich already. The thick bread was soft and fluffy white cream smelled wonderfully sweet. He smiled and said, “No. Thank you for this.”
“You get to treat me next time,” Datu said with a grin as he took the roll and tore off the other end. He also had his eyes on the girls, who were working their way through the bhakarwadi. “Wow. They put it away as fast as my unit does.”
“What’s your unit like?” Nisha asked. “I’ve never talked with…” She frowned. “What do you do?”
“Well,” Datu began as he gazed into her green eyes, “we guard the council. We keep an eye out for trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?” Pavi asked as she licked her fingers.
“Whatever might show up,” Datu replied. “Animals, people who mean harm… You never know!”
“Have you ever had to fight?” Nisha asked, her eyes a little brighter than before.
“Yes,” Datu said as his expression grew more serious. “Unfortunately, Ellora isn’t always peaceful. But it’s never been anything major.”
Pavi looked worried, and lowered her hand rather than reach for more food.
“It was a long time ago,” Jae reassured her. “You don’t have to worry about it.”
Nisha raised an eyebrow at him, clearly skeptical.
Jae pressed his lips together and saw how Pavi only looked slightly less worried. And why wouldn’t she be? He thought. The whole haven would be hunting for her if they knew who she was… I was hunting for even when I didn’t! And there’s the Anomaly… There’s plenty to worry about, especially from people like Datu. And me.
He didn’t want to think about how his squad would feel about all this.
He’d barely eaten any of his roll while Datu was talking, but he didn’t feel hungry.
“Jae can be a bit of a worrier,” Datu said to the girls, surprising Jae, “but he’s right. The storm was really bad, but we’re recovering, and the haven should be back to normal in no time. We’re built to take care of each other.”
Pavi and Nisha didn’t look convinced.
Don’t blame him, Jae wanted to say. He doesn’t know. And it hurt him how dangerous that was. Datu had a right to know: everyone in the haven did, even if it was dangerous. But know what? That the Avatar is back and they’re two little girls? That things are in motion that we don’t understand? How would that help?
“Plus,” Datu added, when Jae didn’t know what to say, “Jae’s worries are usually for everyone’s benefit. It’s benders like him who keep the city safe, because they think of all the problems we might face.”
Jae’s face warmed, and his heart felt a little heavy. People always told him he stressed too much, focused overmuch on rules and being wary about the Avatar. He knew the Avatar thing was more complicated now, but… this was different.
“Even big, strong guards like me sleep happier knowing people like Jae are out there to look after the haven,” Datu said. He met both of Pavi and Nisha’s eyes before glancing at Jae, and smiling warmly.
Even with the lies, Jae thought, watching Datu reassuring the two Avatars. Because Karthik and Daemin were right… Not knowing the truth makes people feel safer…
But Jae reminded himself that he was also helping the Avatars become stronger to face the threats they needed to face. One day, Pavi and Nisha would have to go out and do that. And every day of training got them closer to that. He didn’t like to think of it, because they were so little now, but that was the end goal. And they were already strong, despite their age.
I can’t let Datu, Pavi, or Nisha down, Jae thought. Because all of it matters. As he watched the three of them together, and saw Pavi and Nisha speaking up to make Datu laugh, he thought, One day… maybe there won’t be any lies. Just looking at them now, sitting together and eating, seemed like a vision of that future. The world in balance, Avatars, benders, and non-benders alike.
“I suppose it is useful,” Nisha said, still sounding a bit skeptical. “Has he always been this way?”
Datu laughed and said, “Yeah. But it’s cute.”
Jae’s face heated in embarrassment. “Datu…”
“Have you seen him airbend a lot?” Nisha asked.
Datu nodded. “It’s incredible. Have you seen it?”
“Yeah!” Pavi said. “Jae’s amazing!”
“Pavi…” Jae said, touched.
“When he focuses, he’s amazing,” Nisha noted. She didn’t meet Jae’s eyes as she said it.
Jae wasn’t sure how much of a compliment that was, really, but he imagined Nisha meant well. He’d been noticing she had trouble being honest about her feelings, like it made her feel vulnerable. And he could relate to that. Just like everything happening now felt scary to him, too, and he could understand Pavi’s nervousness.
Datu nodded sagely, like this was a very serious conversation. He was also smiling softly, clearly happy.
One day I’ll tell him, Jae thought as he chewed more of his roll and watched three of the most important people in his life chat happily. But at least we have calm moments like this for now.
It gave him hope for the future.