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“Come on, Izumi! You’re here in Republic City! You’ve gotta try a pro-bending match with Lin and me!” Kya begged, hurling a sphere of water across the training room. It easily hit the target. “Fuck yeah!”
Izumi adjusted her glasses on her nose. “You asked me if I wanted to come watch you practice.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I’m not skilled in combat.”
“Dammit Kya!” Lin threw an earth disc at the same target then spun and released another. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. “You said Izumi agreed to fill Yuka’s spot tomorrow night!”
Kya bent the sweat off her body then sat next to Izumi on the bench. “It won’t be too hard at all, babe. I swear. Lin, and I can cover you the whole time.”
“Spirits, Kya! Leave Izumi alone! We’re just going to have to forfeit the match tomorrow.” Lin gulped down some water. “It’s good to see you again, but I’m sorry she dragged you into this, Izumi.” She crossed her arms. “The truth’s that we’ve been having trouble keeping firebenders on the team because someone keeps sleeping with them and breaking their hearts.”
Kya smirked and slid her arm around Izumi. “Hey, don’t hate on me just because you’re jealous, Lin.”
“I am not!” Lin’s face reddened, and she chucked a disc at the target. “You need to stop fooling around, Kya.”
Izumi’s face burned as the waterbender’s arm was tight around her. She wondered about all the other firebenders Kya had done this same routine with before then decided she didn’t care. The unfamiliar sensation of a hand gripping her hip gave her goosebumps, and she prayed neither woman would notice.
Kya pulled her arm away and shrugged. “What does it matter? We’re not gonna be able to compete without a firebender anyway.”
Izumi chewed on her lip. “What are the rules?” she whispered.
“Huh?”
“The rules to pro-bending. The sport is not as popular in the Fire Nation as it is here, and I am unfamiliar with it. I would like to know the rules.”
Kya jumped to her feet, and Lin dropped the discs and turned around. “So you’re gonna play tomorrow?!” asked Kya.
Izumi stood. “You haven’t told me the rules yet. But if I feel I can handle it…then sure I will join you.”
“Yes! I knew you’d be up for it!” Kya squeezed Izumi and spun her around.
Lin tried to hide the smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.
Izumi blushed furiously as Kya set her back down.
“The rules are pretty simple,” interrupted Lin, stepping in front of Kya to face Izumi. “On each side of the playing field are three zones. The goal is to gain territory on the field by pushing our opponents back…”
Izumi stared at Lin’s mouth as she spoke. Her lips looked so soft, and she spoke with so much authority. She wondered where else the contrast between tenderness and strength might show itself. She nodded occasionally, trying to focus on what was being said.
As Lin continued listing the rules, Kya paraded about behind her, pretending to bend water at her.
Lin turned around. “Will you quit it?” she snapped.
Kya bent it back into the container. “Easy there. I’m just bored. You said all there is to know. Let’s train now! You’re in, right Izumi?”
Izumi smiled. “I cannot guarantee I’ll be of any help…but I’ll play.”
Kya squeezed her again. “I’ll make this up to you, I promise.”
“Tonight, for one night only, the Republic City Sky Bison take on the Ba Sing Se Badgermoles with a new member!” the announcer’s voice echoed through the pro-bending arena. “Crown Princess Izumi of the Fire Nation!”
Izumi squinted and bumped her hand against the shield on her helmet as she reflexively went to adjust her glasses. The lights blared from all angles and the oversized grey fabric of the uniform she was borrowing from Lin itched at her skin. Screams bellowed from the stands. Izumi turned to see Kya winking and waving back at her many female fans. “Is this normal?” she asked.
Kya grinned and put her hand on Izumi’s shoulder. “Soak it all in! This is what we play for!”
Lin shook her head. “No, we play to win.”
“LIN BEIFONG, STEP ON ME!” yelled a voice from the crowd.
Lin blushed and straightened her back. “Izumi, just let me cover you and try to get a shot in when you can.” She stepped forward, and Kya and Izumi followed.
Izumi held her fists in front of her face, and she stared forward at her opponents who glared back at her. “Let’s have a good match, yes?” she asked the firebender in front of her.
DING!
An earth disc spun toward Izumi’s head. Right before it made contact, it was bent out of the way. She looked back and saw Lin was responsible for the save. “Thanks!”
Lin held up a disc and blocked a blast of fire. “No problem! Eyes up, Izumi!”
A stream of water hit Izumi and threw her back over the line.
BZZZ!
“Oh, spirits!” Izumi yelled. She furrowed her brows and bent a burst of flames at the opposing team’s waterbender. The man blocked the first attack with a shield of water that sizzled into steam. Izumi spun and attacked once more, breaking through his defense.
BZZZ!
“Nice one!” yelled Kya. She launched a barrage of water streams at the earthbender and sent him flying over the back of the playing field.
“Izumi, you were a pro out there!” shouted Kya, pulling her into a hug as they entered Izumi’s hotel suite. With its gold trim, exotic woods, and fine fabrics—in addition to the sheer size—it was by far one of the most luxurious places to stay in Republic City. Few who were not royalty or high-ranking diplomats had the pleasure of such accommodations.
“Oh Kya, I barely held my own,” Izumi sighed. “But it sure was exhilarating!”
Kya took the firebender’s hand. “I have never seen someone kick so much ass on their first match.”
Izumi blushed and pulled away. “Are you hungry?” she asked. “There are fruit and sweets already in the kitchen, but I could certainly go ask the servants for anything else you’d like.”
“I’m good with what’s already here, darling.” Kya leaned forward and kissed Izumi on the cheek.
“Spirits,” Izumi breathed, “Lin was right about you! You are quite the flirt!”
Kya chuckled and collapsed onto the nearby couch, putting her feet up on the expensive piece of furniture. “Lin does know a lot about me. We’ve been playing together since she turned 17.” She stretched and yawned. “That was five years ago.”
Izumi sat down on the end of the couch. “I am surprised you two have been able to play together for so long.” She held up a hand. “I hope that did not sound rude. You just seem to have very different philosophies.”
“Lin’s a hardass, but that’s just how she is. She and I make a good team. Yeah, we have trouble keeping a firebender, but she knows as well as I do that we could win matches just the two of us. It doesn’t matter who the third is.”
“Oh, I see…” Izumi muttered, looking down.
“Shit.” Kya sat up and put her hand on Izumi’s knee. “I didn’t mean that we didn’t need you tonight. You really were amazing. I swear. Better than most of the other firebenders we’ve ever had on the team. If you weren’t the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation and all, I’d ask you to join permanently.”
“Now you are definitely just being a flatterer,” said Izumi. She glanced over and saw Kya eyeing her up and down. “Will Lin be coming over?”
Kya moved closer, running her hand up Izumi’s thigh and bringing her lips to the firebender’s neck. “She was running home to check on Suyin first, so she’ll be a while.”
Izumi nodded then turned and kissed Kya suddenly on the mouth. Kya instantly reciprocated, putting her hands on either side of Izumi’s face, pulling her closer. Kya smelled like the soap from the locker room they had showered in after the match. As Izumi continued to kiss her, she pictured the waterbender’s body bare and slick with water and soap, hands massaging—soon she found herself letting her own hands wander and settle at Kya’s hips.
Kya sucked at Izumi’s bottom lip before running her tongue along it. She climbed on top of Izumi, pinning her down on the couch.
“Seriously, Kya?!”
Kya pulled away and turned to see Lin in the doorway with her arms crossed.
“Honestly, I’m not surprised at all that you would try this,” Lin said. “I’m sorry she dragged you into this, Izumi.”
Izumi’s face burned. “Actually, Lin…I kissed her first.”
Lin’s eyebrows shot up, and she took a step back. “Y—you kissed her first? Shit, uh…”
Kya stood and walked over to Lin. “I’m tired of you always judging the way I do things. It’s like you assume that I’m out to ruin the team or some shit. Has it ever occurred to you that maybe some people are just into me?” She tied her long, dark brown hair back. “I’m young, and free to show love to whoever the fuck I want!”
Lin rubbed her temples. “I’m sorry I came over. Thanks for playing with us Izumi,” she muttered. She moved toward the door, but Kya grabbed her arm.
“Wait, Lin. Stay. We should all celebrate the win.”
Izumi sat, watching intently as the scene unfolded before her.
“I don’t think you’re trying to ruin the team, Kya.” Lin glanced over at Izumi for a moment before looking back at the waterbender. “I just…I am jealous.”
“Jealous? Jealous of what? You want to make out with Izumi too?”
“I am still here,” interjected Izumi, whose face was still quite red.
“No! Well…maybe…but no, that’s not what I meant,” replied Lin. “Why have you never tried to flirt with me?”
Kya raised an eyebrow. “You wanted me to flirt with you?”
Lin looked down at her feet. “I’m very fit, I’m a professional athlete, and I come from a strong family. What else are you looking for?”
“I…I didn’t realize you would have wanted that from me…” Kya rubbed the back of her neck. “Spirits.”
Izumi bit her lip as she saw Lin suddenly lean forward and pull Kya into a kiss. The two women kissed with a passion that she guessed had been boiling under the surface for a long time. She stood to excuse herself to another room.
“Wait,” said Lin. She stretched her hand out to Izumi. “We should all celebrate tonight.”