Archive of Our Own

I.

Nine year olds, Jae has learned, are forces to be reckoned with.

In his line of work, he interacts with kids all the time, whether it's on the streets of Ellora or within the walls of the Brigade, but never more so since he met the twins. He finds it surprisingly easy, like he melded into a role with them naturally as soon as he started teaching them, and at this point he’s learned the difference between the terrifying version of the Avatar he had been taught and the two young girls with enough innocence and positivity to want to help save the world. Before he knew it, Jae realized that he wanted to protect that innocence - keep them from overhearing comments about their predecessor, to keep them seeing nothing but light in so much dark for as long as possible. He’s not sure where that train of thought started, but as scary and confusing as it was, Jae’s learned to live with it by now.

Honestly, though, it all likely started with the bandages.

Kids on their own are prone to accidents, but Jae is convinced that the souls of the Avatar have a nature for chaos beyond that of regular kids, bender or non-bender. The amount of ‘force’ and ‘reckoned’ he deals with every day has to be amplified by a thousand, and while watching them use each element is astonishing(and terrifying!), there are many instances where Jae finds itself thinking that no small child should have access to such power.

Firstly due to all the injuries it can cause! The girls may have a handle on their bending, but they are from being masters in any sense, and the amount of times they accidentally hit themselves or each other with a stray blast of [insert element here] is…enough that Jae lost track. The White Lotus has more than enough supplies to treat every scrape and bruise, as does the entire Brigade, but that doesn’t account for when Jae and the girls are out in Ellora and they trip, scraping a knee or - something!

Granted, they were tough. Jae witnessed enough of their rough falls and accidents during training to recognize that, but the first time he watched Pavi slip off the wall she had been jumping along, he still nearly had a heart attack. He was too slow to catch her, and she ended up falling face-first to the stone road with a yelp. He had been right behind Nisha to make sure she was alright, helping her sit up and turn over, only to see that both of her knees were scraped badly and holes had been torn into her pants. For a second, she didn’t seem phased, and Jae thought it might not be as bad as it looked.

Then, she’d started to cry.

Pavi didn’t cry loudly, like most kids Jae encountered did. Tears filled her eyes and fell softly down her round cheeks, and she was clearly trying to keep a whimper locked in her throat. Quickly, Jae had tried to reassure her that it wasn’t bad at all, and reached for the medical supplies kit he always carried around as squad leader, only to realize that the scrapes did not require a large roll of bandages or stitches and the only painkillers he had were pills. At the time, he’d made due and rushed Pavi to get her scrapes more properly looked at with Nisha at his side, but on the inside he scolded himself for not thinking far enough ahead.

After the first time he wasn’t prepared enough, Jae made sure to carry simpler medical supplies on him than the standard kit provided and a candy if he could afford it. The way tears dried up instantly when he passed one over while dressing their small scrapes was enough of a relief that he added them to his personal chore chart. When Datu spotted it and asked, Jae got flustered enough he claimed they were for the team’s morale, because despite popular opinion he can be fun!

If his ear was rubbed red by his own scratching, he was sure his hair hid it well enough for now. 

He resolutely decided not to think too much about his double life as he approached the rest of his squad for a standard patrol. There were a surprising amount of bandit attacks the Brigade had their hands full with, and it could be deadly to get distracted now. Tracking the attacks had proved fruitless so far, so all they could really do was sit around and wait for the bandits to come to them. The rest of the squad arrived promptly on schedule, if with a few more yawns than usual, but Jae could hardly hold it against them when he felt very much the same. The most sleep he was getting at night since the big storm was a few hours, and he was certainly feeling it, especially in his right shoulder. It was beginning to ache enough that he wondered if there was a knot forming due to all the stress.

“Jae,” Lan hissed at his side. He blinked, taking in what she was pointing at: a few shadowed figures moving swiftly along the walls, heading straight for the fully stocked factory they’d been monitoring. 

Focus, he scolded himself internally. With a simple signal, the whole team moved as one into the factory after the shadowed figures, and wasted no time confronting them. It was indeed a few of the Faceless, far less than they were used to dealing with at once, but they were no less ruthless. The entire team had their hands full, to the point that Jae could do little else but watch as his teammates occasionally took a harsh blow he wasn’t able to save them from. Uki took the worst of it when an earthbender nearly buried her beneath a pile of stone, and Jae didn’t see her during the rest of the fight, until the Faceless had managed to escape - though with considerably less than they would have if the squad hadn’t been there.

”Should’ve known you were the battle scar type,” Daemin said, breaking the silence among them. Jae turned to find him helping Uki up so that she could sit on a rock she’d nearly been crushed under.

She snorted and waved him off. “If it means I live, I’ll take it. Does it at least look cool?”

Jae walked closer to see just what kind of ‘battle scar’ they were referring to. At first he didn’t see anything, not until he knelt down at Uki’s side and saw a small bead of blood running down her cheek. There was a small cut at the edge of one eyebrow, something that likely wouldn’t be visible as a scar once it healed, but leaving it wasn’t a good idea regardless. Jae reached for his medical kit and fished out a small bandage, antiseptic wipe, and a candy, which he placed in Uki’s open palm. He then reached to wipe away the blood, holding Uki’s head in place with a gentle hand on her chin, and nodded in approval once it was cleaned up.

”There’s hardly a battle scar there to be proud of,” he teased, placing the bandage over the cut and giving Uki a smile. “I don’t think you’ll even need to see a doctor. Better now?”

The words came to him instinctively, to the point that Jae wondered if it was something he’d heard before, until he realized - that was what he always said to the twins after putting a bandage over a cut or bruise they got. Pavi hated doctors, and Nisha seemed to hate anything that made her sister scared, so the reassurance always eased them both into smiling again, especially if it was coupled with a candy. As soon as he realized exactly what he had said, and what he had just done, Jae froze and ducked his head to stare at his boots.

Now, of course Jae cares about his team. He makes sure to have the standard medical kit on him at all times in case any of them or a civilian needs something while on patrol. But if this was a month ago, he would’ve passed Uki what she needed to clean up the cut herself instead of - this!

When he dares to look up through his bangs, he finds Uki staring wide-eyed at him, but with a certain sparkle near her iris that sends a bolt of fear down his spine. She’s still holding the candy as if it’s precious to her. Lan looks much the same, but she hides it better, one hand over her mouth to hide her obvious smile. And Daemin…

”Jae, I scraped my knee,” he says with an astonished voice, the same sparkle in his eye.

”Aha, then you best get to the hospital!” Jae yells, jumping higher than necessary to get a head start rushing away. “Come on, let’s get moving! We can’t afford to lose any more benders now!”

His voice is too loud and pitched too high, his cheeks are pulled into a painful smile, and he absolutely can’t look at any of them. His team call after him, but have no hope of keeping up when he calls the wind under his feet, feeling as though his face is on fire. He pats his cheeks a few times as if that will put out the nonexistent flames, and internally screams at himself for his behavior. He’s a squad leader! He shouldn’t be acting like that with his team, regardless of if they’re friends or not!

Tired. He’s just tired, obviously. Nothing else!

II.

The one that takes the kidnapping the hardest is Lan. Her and Uki have been inseparable for as long as Jae can remember, ever since they were young cadets in the Brigade just beginning to learn how to bend. Uki has always been a bit hot-headed and brash, and Lan was far more laid-back and soft spoken in comparison. They evened each other out, like two halves of a whole, so seeing her alone was a constant reminder of Jae’s failure.

On the outside, Lan continues her duties and keeps trying to smile as often as she can, but it’s an obvious battle for her every day. The squad continues their duties during the day and night, pulling shift after shift until they’re working double, and even then there’s still more to do. Jae knows it’s hardly better for anyone else in Ellora right now as supplies are continuously stolen and even more benders are kidnapped, but on top of everything he’s already doing he has his new responsibility to train the twins and watch them so other members of the White Lotus can see to their responsibilities.

Every day, the dark circles under everyone’s eyes get darker, and Jae consumes more Chai than he ever has in his life. He thinks back to his days as a naïve squad leader practically begging for more work to do, who had too much free time on his hands and didn’t have to worry about accidentally letting secrets slip. Part of him wishes he could go back to those days, that he truly had just walked away from the White Lotus instead, but as soon as he thinks it Jae rejects those desires. Easier isn’t always right, and he’d much rather be doing the right thing than the easier one.

Still, it’s exhausting. For the first time in days he’s been ordered on a mandatory night off, and it feels so wrong. There’s work to do, chores to keep up with, the girls to babysit, the anomaly to worry about, his teammate to find…and instead of doing any of that, Jae walks the strangely quiet halls of the Brigade to make it to the mess hall. When he walks inside it’s completely empty except for a single person sitting in a far corner with nothing but a cup of tea in front of her. Lan stares at the wooden table before her with unseeing eyes, looking like she could pass out any second.

Jae gets a tray of rations and makes his way to her. He sets it down gently on the table and offers a small smile when Lan looks up. “Eat yet?” he asks.

”Mm,” Lan hums. “Tea is enough right now. Thank you.”

”Can I sit with you?”

”Of course.”

After sitting down across from her, Jae takes a few bites of food and thinks about what he could possibly say that might help her out. Nothing comes to mind, and before he knows it his soup is gone and his buns have disappeared. Silence still stands between them, and Lan still stares at the table as if Jae had never approached, and he feels more concerned by the minute.

”Um,” Jae finally begins, “what were you going to do with your night off?”

Lan blinks and looks up, looking at least alive again. “Chores. They’ve piled up.”

”Yeah, I know.” Jae lets out a small chuckle that Lan at least returns, and he feels some of the tension on his shoulders ease away. “Either that, or nap the night away.”

”You?” Lan asks, raising one eyebrow. The corner of her mouth twitches like it wants to smile, but she keeps her expression almost teasingly serious. “I didn’t know you knew how to sleep!”

”Ha ha.” Jae rolls his eyes and drinks some of his own tea. “I might. I hardly care about smelling terrible anymore with how busy we’ve been, even if it does break code - .”

”Ah, a bath would be nice…” Lan sighs and shakes her head. “No time for it. My room is going to get an infraction at this rate. You’re not allowed to see it.”

”Is it really that bad?” Jae can’t help but ask. Lan pointedly doesn’t respond, so despite knowing he should pry he doesn’t, and instead blurts out without thinking, “I saw Uki’s, I can’t imagine it’s worse than that.” He holds his breath when he sees something flash in Lan’s eyes he’s pretty sure is pain, but her expression smooths and her lips curl into a smile.

”Or Datu’s?” She asks.

”…” Pointedly silent, Jae takes a gulp of hot tea and regrets it. 

“Ah, it must be nice to have a higher up partner that will make sure you won’t get any infractions…”

”Hey, I couldn’t even enforce anything on the guard if I wanted to!” Jae protests. Lan giggles in a very impolite way and finally moves to take a sip of her own tea, looking at least a little more alive than she had earlier. She still looks tired though, like she could seriously use the rest of the day to do nothing but nap. Jae gathers their empty cups onto his tray as he stands, but pauses before moving away. “I was going to take the chance to wash my uniform. I could do yours too, if you want.”

”Oh, I can’t ask you to - “

”I’m offering. You need an early night, Lan. I think I’m competent enough with chores to handle some extra laundry.”

Lan shakes her head, then sighs and gets up herself. “…you really don’t mind?” She asks, voice small and vulnerable. She sounds so unsure, like she isn’t sure she’s allowed to ask. 

Technically, every bender in the Brigade is responsible for doing their own laundry, and Jae shouldn’t be offering at all. In any other circumstance he wouldn’t. But right now…“Of course I don’t,” Jae assures. “Go take a nap. Don’t make me make it an order.”

Getting a proper amount of sleep in order to be properly rested for patrols was also a rule, and one far more important than who did who’s laundry. With a quiet laugh, Lan nods. “Alright. Okay. I’ll bring it to you.”

Half an hour later, Jae meets her in the Brigade’s laundry room dressed in his own casual clothes. He decides to just wash the necessities so that he can get as early of a night himself, and Lan sheepishly hands him a small basket with her uniform in it. Jae almost has to kick her out, encouraging her with a strong and pointed breeze when she tries to say she might as well do it herself since she was already there, reminding her of said section that required each bender to get eight hours of sleep a night. After a quick back and forth she finally leaves, and Jae works on the laundry alone, unable to get the picture of her staring blankly at the table out of his head.

They’re all overworked, but Lan is going through so much more. Losing a friend is incomparable, and while they all have hope that the Faceless haven’t done anything to hurt Uki or the other benders, the fear is still there. Jae hopes that Lan’s rest can be easy and undisturbed by nightmares, and hopes that him doing a simple thing like this for her makes it easier for her in the future. It’s his fault that Uki wasn’t rescued right away, after all.

That night, he barely sleeps, and when he wakes his right shoulder aches a bit more. When he feels the junction where his neck meets his shoulder, he can feel a knot there, and he sighs. Just another thing to deal with on top of everything else.

III.

It wasn’t until the sun went down that Jae finally makes it back home, dragging his feet as he walked through the halls of the Brigade dorms to reach his room. The bags that were no doubt under his eyes felt heavy, and the knot in his shoulder hasn’t eased up at all. He rubs at it absentmindedly as he yawns, jamming the key in the lock successfully on the third try, and pushes the door open. All he wants to do is fall face first into his bed and sleep, but…

“Hi!” Pavi says cheerfully.

”What - ? You - ?” Jae makes a few more noises that aren’t coherent even to his own mind before finally asking, “How do you know where I live?!”

”Avatar powers,” Nisha says with enough confidence that Jae almost believes it. Behind her, both Cat-Monkeys let out meows of agreement.

”We followed you,” Pavi clarifies.

Jae is hardly surprised anymore. He covers his face with one hand and thanks the Havens that at least Datu is working night shift tonight. Once the door is shut behind him, he crosses his arms and sighs. “As much as I’d love to have you both over, I know you have a strict curfew, not to mention this breaks at least three - “

His words are cut off when one of the girl's stomachs growls loudly. They both look at each other accusingly, but don’t say a word, instead sheepishly glancing up after a moment. Jae shuts his mouth and turns towards the small kitchenette the dorm has to offer with a sigh. He isn’t a cook by any means, hardly having the time to do it let alone practice, but he’d be able to whip something up for them.

He’s tired. He doesn’t feel like standing for a moment longer, or being around anyone anymore, but if he kicked the girls out now when the Brigade’s kitchens have long since closed, the guilt will eat him alive. “Ah, don’t make this a habit, okay?” he says in a stern tone.

”We won’t!” the twins say in unison, and it sounds suspiciously like they don’t mean it.

Jae changes out of his uniform first, then puts his hair up into a bun while he takes in what the kitchenette is stocked with. Not much, if only because he usually sticks to rations and Datu is the one to get extra groceries. Before everything got so busy, Datu would make it his mission to make them a meal to share at least once a week, and it was part of their routine that Jae always looked forward to. Now, he could only hope that the meager amount of vegetables and protein left in his dorm wasn't meant for an impromptu date night as he takes them all to the small counter. Behind him, the girls are playing on the ground - or, it seems Pavi is attempting to teach Nisha a game with rocks - and their giggles make the rest of the tension left in Jae fade completely. 

He makes a quick stir fry, because it's something he knows he actually can make, and after giving the girls their portions he shoves a few spoonfuls into his mouth and decides that's good enough. He doesn't have much of an appetite right now anyway, not with everything that's on his mind and the ache in his neck. At least the girls are happy, both of them practically licking the bowls clean and offering loud compliments that make Jae snort to himself. 

Once they're all finished with food, Jae sets to cleaning up and starts practicing in his head the best way to tell the two nine year olds that they had to go back to their room for the night without feeling guilty about kicking them out. A nearly impossible task, because no way he could think to form the words came out right, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt either of them by accident. They were nine, after all! It was at some point during this that he took in the two whispers just behind him, not quiet enough for him to ignore.

“You have to be the one to ask.”

“But it was your idea, Nisha!”

“He won't say no to you!”

“I - I won't even have one tonight, let's just go…”

“He likes you most, just ask!”

“I like you both the same amount,” Jae interrupts. He wipes his hands down and fails to stifle a yawn as he turns. “You can ask me anything.”

He says the words before he thinks them, and it's only after they're put out there that he realizes its the truth. Part of him already knew that, but for some reason it feels more…real, now. There was little Jae wouldn't do for them at this point if it meant they were safe and happy. If he was going to be a traitor, there was no need to half-ass it, anyway!

Even with the reassurance, both girls look nervous. Eventually Nisha raises her head, a determined frown on her face, and says, “We can't fall asleep. Can we…” 

Her cheeks flush red with clear embarrassment, as if it's shameful to admit. Jae looks at the two more closely and for the first time that night realizes that they look exhausted, which he had thought had been due to all of their training, but perhaps there was more to it. 

When they don't get an immediate reply, both girls get up. They're visibly tense, Pavi keeps picking at her fingers, and Nisha looks everywhere but at Jae. “It's okay,” she says with a strained smile. “You don't have to, we get it, it's not like you're our - “

“Wait,” Jae calls, raising one hand. The twins stop, looking back with such hopeful expressions it would be impossible to resist, anyway. Jae smiles tiredly and nods. “I could…read you a bedtime story?”

In no time, all three of them pile into Jae's bed, the twins on either side with Jae in the middle. Nisha takes the wall side and Pavi ends up halfway off the edge of the bed, but she looks perfectly content there. She curls under one of Jae's arms without hesitation the moment he settles against the headboard, and Nisha follows her example after a moment. Once they’re no longer squirming, Jae starts reading an old story about two forbidden lovers to them both - an old book he'd found and read more times than he'd ever admit. As he describes the tale of two earthbenders winding a maze through a mountain, the twins cut in with sleepy commentary here and there, but it doesn’t take long for them to drift off, cuddled up on Jae's sides.

By the time he’s finished the story, they’re fast asleep. Both Cat-Monkeys are curled up with one another just beneath the open window to Jae’s room, and when he spots the colorful lights dancing in the night sky, he sighs and tries to find a position to lean his head back without making any soreness worse. The book is still held within his palms, and he’s only just able to blow out the last lighting in the room to plunge them into darkness, falling asleep just moments after.

When he wakes next, there’s a terrible crick in his neck from the angle he was sleeping in, but the soft whimpers he hears make Jae stop thinking about the pain entirely. He blinks a few times, eyes adjusting to the darkness, and gathers Nisha closer to him when he realizes it was her trying to stifle her cries. “Nisha?” he whispers.

”Sorry,” Nisha mumbles. She’s wiping at her eyes with a fist, but it’s clear it’s not stopping the tears from falling at all.

Jae wonders for a moment if she’d rather be alone, but abandons the thought when he realizes she isn’t trying to push away. If anything she curls closer, like she’s trying to hide herself as best she can by making herself smaller. Carefully, Jae eases Pavi off his side so that he can scoop Nisha up to get a better look without waking her sister.

”Is something wrong?” he asks. “Are you hurt? Stomach? Ah, I really should’ve checked those expiration dates - “

The moment she’s able to, Nisha bullies her way into Jae’s lap and hides her face in his chest. He awkwardly hugs her back, worry still in his gut over accidentally giving her food poisoning or something, but she just shakes her head, and Jae has no choice but to trust her. It’s a long time until she finally moves again, enough that Jae almost drifts off before he realizes it.

When Nisha raises her head, her face is wet with tears, and she’s frowning like she’s upset she’s crying. She sniffles and makes a frustrated sound. “I don’t - don’t know why - “ she chokes out softly, trying to be quiet.

”Hey, it’s okay,” Jae says. He rubs one hand up and down her back. “Sometimes there isn’t a reason.”

”No!” she sobs, another round of tears pouring down her cheeks. One of her hands grabs Jae’s shirt in a tight fist, and she looks seconds away from trying to run away. “It wasn’t supposed to be me!”

Jae has no clue what she’s talking about, but what he’s concerned about the most is making sure Nisha doesn’t set fire to his bedding without realizing. He keeps his grip on her gentle, keeps rubbing her back, and when she squirms enough to accidentally jab him with an elbow or a knee he doesn’t complain. It’s like she’s full of restless energy, or is confused by her own emotions, and has no other way of letting it out. Jae’s eyebrows pull further into a frown as he thinks, wondering if at any point within the last three years she’s had anyone but herself to help calm her down when she’s upset, or - 

“I had a nightmare,” Nisha finally admits quietly. She goes limp after saying it, like the fight has left her completely, but Jae catches her with ease. “Pavi has been having them. She wakes up crying because her leg hurts and she has nightmares and keeps saying she doesn’t remember them. It wasn’t supposed to be me.”

”Ah,” Jae breathes. “Do you want to talk about it?”

For a moment Nisha says nothing, but finally she asks, “What if…mom and dad wanted to get rid of me?” she asks. “What if they left me? What if Karthik only found me by chance and he wasn’t supposed to?”

Oh.

What was he supposed to say to that? Jae couldn’t think of anything that might reassure Nisha, because making an empty promise over a situation he knew nothing of wasn’t fair to her. Her fear and loneliness reminds him of an ache within his own chest, of people he doesn’t think about and doesn’t wish to. He understands why she can’t help but think those things, and wishes he could magically make it stop.

”If they did, then it’s their fault, not yours,” Jae says slowly. “It will never be your fault. And you get to decide what you want to do, and what you think - do you think they did those things? Or are you just wondering?”

The situation feels far beyond what Jae is prepared to handle, and he can’t help but think he likely said something wrong, but Nisha looks up at him with hopeful eyes and says, “Wondering. I don’t want them to have…” She huffs. “But if they did, good riddance.”

Gently, Jae wipes away the rest of the tears on her cheeks with his thumbs. Nisha lets him. “Then good riddance,” he agrees. “And you have your family here. Pavi wants you, Ruhi wants you…”

”You want me,” she says, as though determined enough to make it true.

”Yeah,” Jae agrees. “I want you here, too.”

Nisha seems satisfied. She pushes at Jae’s chest until he lays down, and then pulls Pavi closer until she’s no longer hanging off the edge of the bed. When she’s moved, Pavi snorts loudly and peeks open an eye, but falls back asleep as soon as Nisha settles them both in Jae’s arms again. It’s almost uncomfortably warm, so the blankets are kicked away, but Jae doesn’t move at all. Instead, the ache in his shoulders and the crick in his neck keep him up for a while longer, watching over the twins as they sleep, and making sure there were no more nightmares.

IV.

The very last person Jae expected to be part of the White Lotus had to be Daemin. It's something he wonders if he dreamed up often, especially when Daemin continues on as his normal self ninety percent of the time. That remaining ten percent is the only thing that keeps Jae from believing it had all been some kind of hallucination or trick, and makes him realize that whatever version of his friend he thought was genuine most likely is a front.

Well, maybe not a front exactly, but now it's obvious that Daemin is exaggerating his fun-loving personality and is absolutely pretending to be an idiot. The first time Jae watches him teach the girls some waterbending, he keeps rubbing his eyes and asking himself if it really is his teammate standing before him. Its just so different, and he's still not used to it.

Or just how powerful Daemin really is. 

Uki's absence is felt among the team like a hole in the middle of them, but they have no choice but to keep moving. The bandit attacks haven't stopped, and predicting where they will go next is nearly impossible. The most they can guess is some kind of supply will be hit and wait to see which one it is. This time, it’s the water plant, arguably the most important supply of the entire Haven.

Jae felt more frantic as he fought this time with Daemin and Lan at his side. He wanted answers as to Uki's whereabouts, to why the bandits were attacking when they could've found peace among Ellorans instead of fighting for their lives in the Harshlands, just what their goals were and if they did anything to harm the water supply at all. He didn't bother repeating himself after the third time he tried to ask, focusing on keeping as many as he could away from anything important. The bandits had jugs likely full of water, or perhaps something else that they were trying to put into the water, but whether they were stealing or poisoning wasn't something they could waste time figuring out.

He was off. The pain from the growing knot in his shoulder had spread up to his neck and down his arm, an ache that not even adrenaline could fully cover. For a while now Jae knew he was favoring his left side in combat and training, and even during simple tasks like using a spoon to eat when his right arm twinged too badly, but he hadn’t been aware of just how much until now. Just turning his head to the side sent a spike of pain down his spine, and his reaction time was slower than usual, movements less and less fluid as his breathing lost all rhythm.

The Faceless seemed to realize it too, and were quick to take advantage of Jae’s slowness. It took all of his concentration to just block simple attacks, hitting away blasts of fire and boulders thrown towards his head at the very last second, far too close for comfort. Jae grit his teeth and tried to focus as one of the earthbender bandits lifted a large boulder and sent it flying his way, something he would’ve been able to dodge or hit with ease just a week ago. Now, it took a lot of energy to create wind strong enough to send it off course, where it instead slammed into a large pipe near the ceiling.  Jae's eyes widened when he saw the collision and heard the crunch of metal and stone as the pipe broke. It was big, likely connected to some kind of main current through the city, and water began to pour out of it immediately in a giant wave falling down on all of them.

There wasn’t time to find the others, so all Jae could do was hope they’d be able to protect themselves until he could reach them to give them some air. He prepared to create a wind bubble around himself, but just as he raised his hands to do so, the water stopped falling. A grunt of effort just behind him had Jae turning to see Daemin with his arms outstretched, holding the water in place above their heads, stopping more from pouring out of the hole in the pipe. For once, Daemin was frowning and his jaw was tense with effort, but not a single drop fell from the pool above their heads.

When he noticed Jae looking at him, Daemin nodded towards the bandits. “What're you waiting for, permission?!”

Ah. That ten percent. Jae nodded and raced after the bandits, who had taken their chance to start to bolt. 

While he ran after the bandits, he heard the familiar sound of Lan’s earthbending, and the shadow from above began to recede. The Faceless had their large jugs loaded into a cart that was being pulled by a - likely stolen - cameldillo, and just as Jae caught up to them, one of them hit the reins. The cart began to pull away, and Jae just barely managed to jump onto the back, dodging a blast of fire sent straight to his face. His right arm screamed in pain as he moved, but he blocked it out of his mind to instead focus on the fight as the cart pulled out of the water plant, heading straight for the nearest gate.

Staying on the cart was difficult enough, as the cameldillo was pulling it at a speed that made even Jae’s heart race. There were three Faceless bandits attacking him at once, and it took everything in him to stay on the cart while dodging their attacks. If they could manage to capture even one, they might be able to get answers as to where the missing benders were taken. Where Uki was. Or, if he wasn’t able to do that, maybe the Faceless would take him too and Jae could rescue her from the inside - 

It was a stupid plan, but it was the only one he could think of while in a cart going at breakneck speeds down (thankfully) empty roads. 

The gate was getting closer, far too close for comfort, and Jae couldn’t get close enough to the front to stop them. He was tired, his right arm barely able to lift anymore even as he forced it to, and he was completely alone. It was a daunting realization that he didn’t even have the twins with him, at this point his teammates couldn’t know where he was or even hope to catch up, and…and unless Jae jumped from the cart, he really would be taken from the city and into the Harshlands as a prisoner.

Just as they turned onto the main road towards the gate, there was a noise from behind that sounded like a rushing river. Jae risked looking back to see a giant wave of water crawling along the streets, heading straight for the cart. Daemin was riding on top of the wave as if he was surfing it, and with a quick move of his arms, the water he was on reached the cart and froze. The abrupt stop threw everyone from the cart, Jae included, and he landed in a sprawl on the road with a groan. Half of him wanted to scold Daemin for doing a reckless move like that, but the other half of him was far too astonished by what he’d just witnessed to actually do it.

In Ellora, it's easy to see just how powerful every element can be if one just looked into the Bending Brigade’s training grounds. Air, fire, and earth practically made up the Haven of wind and sand…but not water. In the desert, water is precious, and only a certain amount is allowed to be carried by each waterbender. The most Jae thinks he's seen Daemin bend is to redirect a canal, or catch a small stream, not ride a wave of it into battle! He must’ve used some from the pipe leak to catch up that way, because he doesn’t carry that much with him at a time. It wouldn’t be possible to.

A hand touches Jae’s back, and he lets Daemin help him up. He feels dizzy, he’s sore and exhausted, and by the time he’s up the Faceless bandits have scattered and left the cart of supplies behind. When Jae glances at it, he sees it’s still caught in a large ice formation with sharp crystal spikes crawling up the sides. It holds firm even with the attached cameldillo frantically tugging and trying to escape.

”No need to thank me,” Daemin says, his tone teasing. “Can’t let you have all the glory.”

”Urg,” Jae grumbles intelligently. His head feels like mush and he holds his right bicep as if that will help the pain still shooting through it. “That was so reckless. Someone could’ve died, and we needed their intel…”

”Uh huh, uh huh,” Daemin nods along and keeps his hand between Jae’s shoulder blades as some guards rush to their location. “Come on, let’s get someone to look at your head.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Jae notices a significant portion of the ice melting away, until it looks like only the wheels of the cart had been captured. He frowns, wanting to ask, but now is clearly not the time when they have to clean up after the bandits. Lan catches up not long later, and looks even more crestfallen when she realizes they won’t have any news on Uki’s whereabouts that night.

It isn’t until much later, when Commander Karthik has been debriefed and Jae has managed to swallow down some rations, that he runs into Daemin again. Instead of heading for the dorms, Jae finds himself heading towards the training grounds almost as if his feet had a mind of their own. He didn’t realize he was there until he heard a slosh of water, and finally blinked back to the present to see Daemin alone in the training grounds, using a small whip of water to practice compared to what Jae had seen earlier.

He watches for a moment, until Daemin stops his form to release the water from the air. It hits the ground with a splat, but he doesn’t seem to care. Instead, Daemin fumbles with the arm guards of his uniform with a grimace, but his fingers keep fumbling against the clasp enough times that Jae sighs and heads towards him. When he gets close enough, Daemin spins around and immediately puts on his signature grin.

”Oh hey, coming to hog the training grounds? Ah, don’t tell anyone you saw me out here, yeah?” he says, still fumbling with the clasp. “I have a reputation to keep!”

Jae rolls his eyes, then reaches out and takes Daemin’s arm. He undoes the clasps and removes the arm guards, dropping them to the ground. Thankfully, there’s no injury that Daemin had been attempting to hide there, so Jae releases a soft sigh of relief. 

“Need a hand?” Daemin jokes.

”I need you to stop making puns,” Jae says back. He has a theory, but only because when he strains himself with his bending it makes the muscles in his hands and arms ache the most. With his thumbs, he begins to press and massage the palm of Daemin’s hand without thinking, and only stops when he notices said hand start to tremble. “Daemin?” he asks.

”Nothing,” Daemin quickly says. “Keep going. Please keep going. I’m not above begging if you want me to beg.”

This time Jae lets out a laugh, and he continues. Daemin covers his mouth with his other hand and slowly relaxes as Jae gets to work, pressing at the tense muscles of his forearms until they finally loosen up. When he’s finished with one arm, he moves on to the other, and tries to think of something he could say that would undo the awkwardness in the air.

Jae doesn’t do things like this. There’s a reason the birthday hug rule is in effect, after all. He doesn’t go out of his way to make sure his squad mates are properly seeing to their injuries or health, trusting them the same way they trust him - though, he probably should keep a better eye on them…regardless, he doesn’t make it a habit to go all mother-hen on his friends like he knows he has been on occasion, and doesn’t want them to think differently of him.

Daemin knows, though. He understands enough, having looked after the girls many times in the past.

”The Bending Brigade is depriving Ellora of its best masseuse,” Daemin finally says first. “Seriously, if it were allowed, I’d be telling you to quit and start a practice of some kind. Which I’m not, you know, don’t turn me in for suggesting - “

”Talking during massages gets you charged extra,” Jae says, dropping Daemin’s arm. For a moment the waterbender pouts and rubs his own arms, but he also looks considerably better, so Jae soaks in the unsaid praise written on Daemin’s smoothed out expression. “You did a lot back there, so you need to take care of yourself.”

”By getting a rush appointment with the best masseuse in Ellora?” Daemin asks with a smirk. “Noted. Definitely noted.”

Jae feels his cheeks heating up, and he quickly turns on his heels to stomp away. “Don’t get any ideas! This was a one time offer. And the hug rule still stands!”

Behind him, Jae hears Daemin laugh for a moment. Then, just before he’s out of earshot he hears a far too sincere, “Thanks, squad leader.”

The whole way back to his dorm, Jae presses at the growing knot in his shoulder, hoping it just might go away if he wills it hard enough. The ache distracts him from thinking too hard about the fight over and over again, watching Daemin catch the water and use so much in techniques he’d never seen before, and about that ten percent. 

V.

After the twins fall into a mud pit searching for something Jae will never understand - “One of Pavi’s rock friends slipped out of her pocket - “ “ - it was Rey, she has a name! - “ “ - so she jumped into the mud to save her, and I jumped in to save her.” - they’re both far overdue for a bath. When Commander Karthik finds him, looking very much like the tired uncle everyone currently thought he was, Jae rushes to assist, the whole time imagining it must be like trying to give a bath to two angry cameldillos. He nearly runs into Shilpa, who’s soaked to the bone as she walks out of the private baths usually reserved for superiors in the Brigade, where the twins are supposed to be getting clean.

”Training?” Jae asks meekly, his voice sounding too hopeful for an answer he knows isn’t the truth.

”I wish,” Shilpa grumbles. She sounds like she means it as she takes off her glasses, wiping them with a cloth she takes out of her pocket. 

“Commander Karthik sent me as backup. What’s left to do?” Jae asks, only realizing after speaking that he sounds like he’s asking for a battle debrief. He looks at the closed door with dread.

”They’re clean, at least,” Shilpa says, putting her glasses back on. “Their hair needs to be seen to. Nisha sits still, but Pavi repeatedly bent water as if attempting to drown me. At least her training is paying off.”

Rubbing his temples to hopefully get rid of his impending headache before it arrives, Jae looks back and forth from Shilpa to the door, and hesitantly takes a step back while itching an ear. “Right, so I can see I’m not needed here at all, so I’ll just…”

The look Shilpa gives him freezes him in place. “The commander sent you as backup, right?” she asks, tone menacing. She looks even more frightening due to the fact that she’s soaked to the bone.

She practically throws Jae inside and kicks the door shut behind him. He takes a deep breath before venturing into the room.

The twins are talking in hushed voices to each other, and are already dry and changed. The only thing that seems left to handle, as Shilpa said, is their hair. Nisha brushes her own, but Pavi sits bundled up in towels with Geet cuddled around her, looking far more miserable than she should for just having taken a bath.

”Giving Shilpa a hard time?” he asks as he approaches.

”She started the water fight!” Pavi whines.

Jae decides, for his own mental health, to ignore that. Instead, he takes a closer look at Pavi’s hair, which is currently a damp and tangled mess on her head and shoulders. It certainly looks like it’s been through a water fight. “We should get your hair dry, otherwise you’ll get a cold,” he says with a small smile.

Pavi shakes her head. “Oh, no. I’m not falling for that again! You’re just going to try to rip it all out!”

”He’s not going to rip it all out,” Nisha argues. She puts the brush she was using down and crosses her arms. “If you just sit still, it won’t hurt!”

”Easy for you to say,” Pavi huffs. 

“It is!” Nisha snaps. “Because it is easy!”

Pavi ducks her head and hides further in the towels. Jae feels his chest ache at the sight, because by now he knows she retreats into herself like this when she’s truly upset. Likely, she’s thinking about how different she and her sister are, and how there’s another thing that doesn’t come naturally to her like it does Nisha. 

“Okay, okay. How about this - you can brush my hair first,” he proposes.

Pavi looks up from her towel cocoon, and Nisha’s eyes grow wide. “Really?” she asks.

”Really,” Jae promises, and smiles at Pavi. “I’ve always been the one to take care of my hair, too. It’s important to me, but I trust you two with it.”

Against better judgement, perhaps, but the way the two light up is worth it. “Okay,” Pavi says, a little hesitant, but not sounding afraid like she had earlier. 

Jae sits on a low stool and undoes the ribbon at the end of his hair, holding it tightly in one hand while the twins get behind him. Nisha takes the lead, showing Pavi to start at the ends and to be careful with any knots or tangles. It makes Jae smile, especially when Pavi takes the instructions seriously, and they divide his hair into two sections to start brushing it. The whole time they do, Jae stares down at the blue ribbon in his hand and tries to remember how to relax his shoulders. Occasionally his hair is tugged as they find a snarl to brush out, and as gentle as they try to be, it still makes his scalp ache.

”Why’s your ribbon blue?” Pavi asks. She’s been humming the entire time she’s been brushing, and peeks around Jae’s arm to look closer at the ribbon.

”Um,” Jae stammers, trying to think of an explanation the girls might understand.

”To match with his boyfriend, obviously,” Nisha says first.

”I - !” Jae can hardly get any words out, and settles for giving her a look over his good shoulder. 

“What? You do,” Nisha huffs. “He’s the big guard with the blue ribbon in his hair. It’s the same, you guys match. And you kissed his cheek. So he’s your boyfriend.”

Jae covers his face with one hand. Alright, so the two of them don’t go out of their way to announce their relationship, not with how hostile the Bending Brigade and Ellora Guard are towards each other, but they don’t try to hide it, either. Honestly, Jae is pretty sure it would be impossible to if they tried, because before everything got so busy they’d spend all of their free time with each other, and Datu would bring him a lunch with a handwritten note on top, and they’d find ways to see each other if one was on shift, and - 

Letting out a sigh, Jae realizes very suddenly just how much he misses Datu. He can’t remember the last time they truly had the time to be around one another when work wasn’t involved, and after what happened with Molin…honestly, Jae was just worried that Datu wouldn’t want to see him. 

He understands the fear, and the reasons Datu joined the other guards in their distrust of the Brigade, because at the end of the day it was true. The Brigade was unknowingly hiding the Avatars within their walls, lying to the public and to their comrades, and Jae was at the thick of it all. Worst of all, he invaded his boyfriend’s privacy to read his journal, even if it was just one entry. 

Maybe the reason he hadn’t seen Datu was because he was avoiding whatever fallout was coming. Maybe Datu wasn’t busy like Jae was forcing himself to be, and it was Jae that was the one running away.

”He’s sighing like the people in Karthik’s books,” Pavi whispers.

”I am not!” Jae huffs. “And - what books? What are you talking about? Have you two been snooping again?”

Neither twin elaborates. “Is it supposed to be a secret?” Nisha asks.

”No, not really. But the Brigade and the Guard don’t exactly like each other, especially not after what happened with Molin,” Jae explains. “And we haven’t seen each other lately.”

”Oh,” Pavi gasps. “You’re like the two lovers in that book you read us! Forbidden from one another because the people are divided - ”

”Havens, I hope not,” Jae mumbles.

”Ew,” Nisha pretends to gag. “Boys are gross. Here, Pavi, let me teach you how to braid.”

Thankfully, they moved past the topic with ease thanks to Nisha, and Jae’s hair was swiftly - if messily - braided. He ties off the end with his ribbon and allowed Pavi to practice braiding with Nisha’s hair, and then finally begins to tackle the damp mess on her head. He was sure to be gentle, trying not to tug too much, and helped Nisha distract her by talking about her new leg. Pavi was beyond excited about it, happy to say she was having much less pain than before. Nisha suggested she get a stone one that she could bend, obviously thinking about uses for it in battle, but Pavi started raving about how she could make a rock leg to carry all of her rock friends around with her instead…

Jae rests his right elbow on his thigh and uses his left hand to brush Pavi’s hair, even if it feels unnatural. Every day that side feels worse, to the point that Jae would consider a visit to the hospital if it wasn’t destroyed. It takes longer than it would if he was using his right hand, but eventually Pavi’s hair was brushed. Jae braids it just like his and Nisha’s hair, and Pavi keeps touching it with awe. “It’s so soft,” she mumbles to herself. 

Jae pats the top of her head, unable to help himself. It makes Pavi giggle and rush to show Geet, telling her Cat-Monkey that they could give her a bath too, and then she’d be just as soft. Geet didn’t seem to care for the idea, hissing and diving out the window in a flash. Pavi whined until she returned, and then her stomach growled loudly. Nisha barely opened her mouth like she was going to scold her sister before hers growled as well, and her look became the same sheepish one Pavi was wearing.

”Come on, let’s get you dinner,” Jae decided, rounding them up to head to the mess hall. The two cheered and rushed to lead the way there, and Jae tried not to wince as he pushed at the knot in his shoulder as he followed.

+ I.

It’s late by the time Jae finally makes it back home. He robotically turns the key in the lock and pushes the door open, eyes to the ground, head feeling too heavy to lift properly. One hand is rubbing at his shoulder, trying to get rid of the ache that’s grown too much to ignore, all due to the knot of tension that has only gotten worse as the days have gone on. Pain seeps into his neck, which adds to how heavy his head feels, and all down his right arm. He’s sure that the others have noticed by now due to how even his bending has been affected by it. 

It’s exhausting. All of the lies, all of the running around he’s added to his schedule, all of the…everything! Jae feels like a thread close to snapping, and it brings tears to his eyes because he’s not supposed to be. He’s always been the one capable of handling more, of pushing through all of the obstacles he faces with a smile and being the dependable one, but lately he knows he hasn’t been living up to that. He hasn’t even had the time to ask for extra work for the team to do, and while he’s sure they’re grateful for it, they know it’s not like him. Eventually, people will start asking questions, and Jae will have to lie and…

He drags his feet as he enters the dorm, pushing the door closed with a quiet click.

”Hey.” Forcing himself to lift his head, Jae manages to give a small smile to Datu, who is standing at the kitchenette counter. He seems to be in the middle of making something that Jae somehow hadn’t noticed when he walked in. 

“What are you doing here?” he asks. “I thought you had a night shift tonight.”

”Switched with Kyeyo,” Datu says simply with a shrug. “Why? Were you hoping for some alone time?”

The words are said with a teasing tone, but Jae still reads into the hesitance beneath them. He walks over and presses himself to Datu’s broad back, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend’s waist, and feels better immediately. “No,” he says simply. “I’m happy you’re here.”

The smell of spices is strong in the air from whatever is brewing in their pot, but when Jae stands like this, all he can smell is Datu. He closes his eyes and lets himself sink into it, melding into Datu’s back until he feels like they’re stuck together. Like this, he can lean his weight onto his most dependable person, and isn’t scared of not being held afloat. The fear and pain fades to something more tolerable, and the longer he stands like that, the less Jae feels like he’s going to fall apart.

Datu lets him stand there, just holding him, until he’s finished with what he’s doing. Slowly, he turns in Jae’s arms and wraps his own around Jae’s shoulders, until he’s been pulled into a proper hug. “That’ll need to simmer for a while. Come on, you look exhausted.”

”Mmph,” Jae mumbles out, not ready to admit such a thing out loud just yet. He lets himself be guided towards the bed, but instead of Datu pushing him down on the mattress and insisting he get some rest like he thought would happen, Datu pushes him to the floor. “Hey,” he complains without any heat.

Above him, Datu chuckles. He sits down on the edge of their bed and pulls Jae between his legs, back to him. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you’ve been favoring your left side. What’s going on here?”

”Just - sore!” Jae claims, reaching to itch one ear. He squirms on the floor when Datu’s large hands press into his shoulders, unable to relax once thumbs start pressing into his muscles. It doesn’t take long at all for Datu to find the knot on the right side, pressing firmly against it. “Ow,” Jae whines.

”Oh, Jae,” Datu says gently, the firm press going to something much lighter. “That feels like a rock in your shoulder.”

”It wasn’t this bad,” Jae says, which is the truth for once. “I don’t know how it got like this.”

”Hm,” Datu hums, like he’s considering something. Jae glances back at him, and the little frown he sees quickly turns into a sympathetic smile. “Why don’t you change? Then I’ll look at it.”

Instinctively, Jae feels an excuse on his tongue, but all it takes is a pointed look from Datu to swallow it down and nod. He manages to get up and change out of his uniform, putting on one of Datu’s shirts that had been conveniently “left behind” a few weeks ago before making his way back to the bed. Datu hasn’t moved, and is looking at him with that sympathetic smile gone, as if he’s lost in his thoughts while staring. Jae shifts on his feet and looks away, feeling like he’s being analyzed.

”I’m sure it’ll go away if I rest it more. Honestly, you don’t have to…” Jae cuts himself off when Datu reaches out and tugs him forward, back between his legs.

”It won’t, and you know it,” Datu says. “Sit down. I’ll be gentle.”

Jae snorts, then reluctantly sits on the ground. He knows what’s coming - Datu has given him a massage many times before, and as gentle as he tries to be, the only way to get rid of persistent knots is through pressure, forcing the locked muscle to release. It’s painful, even if it is a relief. Already Jae is squirming and Datu hasn’t touched him yet.

True to his word, Datu is gentle at first. He avoids the rock to instead sink his fingers into Jae’s hair and massage his temples. Jae didn’t realize just how sore his head was until then! He breathes out and relaxes, letting Datu touch where he pleased as the headache behind his eyes was pulled away, leaving his head feeling like mush.

”Good?” Datu asks after a minute, hands moving to massage the back of Jae’s neck next.

”Mm,” Jae hummed, unable to make a more coherent noise for a moment. “Feels like you’re massagin’ my brain.”

Datu laughs behind him, and continues. He takes Jae’s head and tilts it to one side, pushing against the opposite shoulder to stretch the muscles. When he does the right side, Jae feels something pop and sighs in relief when some of the pain he’d been feeling disappears instantly. Datu raises his right arm, helps him roll his shoulders and pop his back, and in no time Jae feels like mush, ready to sink into the ground the moment Datu lets him go.

But he doesn’t. He lowers Jae’s arm and wraps one of his around Jae’s chest, holding him in place. Jae is fooled into thinking it’s a hug for a second, especially when Datu leans in close to the ear Jae can’t stop itching and kisses it, but the illusion is broken when he says, “Alright, time for the hard part.”

”No,” Jae whines, but doesn’t move. He leans back against Datu as much as he’s able, and sucks in a breath when the tip of an elbow is pressed to the rock in his shoulder. The moment Datu pushes down he releases it as a harsh gust of wind that nearly blows out the flame on their stove, where the soup is still simmering.

”Easy,” Datu whispers to him. “Relax, Jae.”

“Easy for you to sa- ah!” Jae snaps. It hurts, it hurts like nothing he’s ever felt before, and he likes to think his pain tolerance is high. Some kind of survival instinct kicks in and he tries to squirm, tries to break free from Datu’s hold, but the arms around him don’t falter, and the thighs on either side of him lock him in further. Datu holds him still as he keeps pressing against the knot, and it doesn’t feel like it’s working at all, it only feels painful, it hurts it hurts…!

…Or, it really doesn’t hurt? The longer Datu presses, the easier it is to take, leaving Jae with a confusing sensation of it hurts but it doesn’t. It slowly eases up until it’s nowhere near the worst thing Jae’s faced any longer, the sharp pain fading to a terrible ache. His left hand reaches to grip as tightly as he can to Datu’s forearm, the angle awkward since his arm is still pinned. His right arm is lifeless against his own side, hand facing palm up on the ground. If Jae really wanted to he could escape even with his hands tied behind his back, but he does nothing but sit there and take it.

Abruptly, tears Jae hadn’t realized were building start to fall. He cries silently, aware they are falling against Datu’s hand, and bites his lower lip even as the whimpers of pain keep leaving him. He’s not sure why he’s crying, there’s really no reason to be, there are others going through far worse than their boyfriend working a knot out of their muscles. But the longer the tears fall, the easier it becomes to breathe, it hurts a little less, until suddenly something gives and Jae sags in Datu’s hold. A moment later, Datu lifts his arm and then lightly touches over the abused spot of Jae’s shoulder, a pleased hum leaving him.

”There, you’re done,” he says sweetly. Jae can’t bring himself to move, not even to wipe away the tears that still fall, but he doesn’t have to as Datu lifts him up and into his lap, gathering Jae into a better position in his arms. “It’s almost gone. I’ll look at it again later, but that has to feel better, doesn’t it?”

Jae nods as Datu’s hands cradle his cheeks and wipe away the tears that are still falling. He aches fiercely, but it’s a good pain now, and his shoulders no longer feel quite as weighed down. There’s no pain that goes down his right arm to his wrist, no headache, no twinge in his neck he feels even without moving it. Stuck in his head, Jae almost startles when kisses are suddenly pressed all over his face until he gives in and laughs, earning him a bright grin.

”There you are,” Datu says fondly.

”I didn’t go anywhere,” Jae mumbles.

One of Datu’s hands goes from cradling his cheek to pushing his bangs out of his face, behind one ear. It stays there so Datu can kiss that cheek properly. “You’ve been working yourself to the bone. I haven’t heard your real laugh in days.”

”Ah,” Jae breathes out. He raises his weak arms to wrap them around Datu’s neck and holds him tightly. “I didn’t realize.”

”Part of boyfriend duties for me to realize for you,” Datu says cheerfully. He lets go of Jae’s face to place his hands on Jae’s hips instead, patting them twice. “Lay down, let me get the rest of you.”

”I’m getting the hint you’re trying to tell me something,” Jae teases as he moves to do so. He lays on his stomach, arms crossed beneath his chin, and hisses when Datu starts to massage one thigh. Not as bad as the shoulder, but his thighs are either sensitive or have knots of their own. “You know you don’t have to switch shifts to touch me, right?”

”Of course I don’t,” Datu easily agrees. He moves until he’s hovering over Jae, pushing hair out of the way again so that he can kiss the shell of one ear. It makes shivers go down Jae’s spine. “I want to take care of you, that’s all.”

Jae looks over his shoulder, only just then realizing that he actually can again, and feels the corner of his lip quirk up into a smirk. “Go ahead, then.”

Permission granted, Datu works his muscles until Jae is left little more than a limp noodle on the mattress. Afterwards, he gets Jae some soup in a mug pleasantly warmed by the broth and sets to working out the tangles in Jae’s hair with his fingers. Jae’s eyelids droop further and further as the soup warms him from the inside out, his rambling turning less coherent as his yawns grow more persistent, but he isn’t properly brought to bed until all of his needs are seen to. Datu pulls him into his arms back to chest, allowing Jae to grab one of his hands to use as a pillow no matter how ridiculous it is.

”Get some rest,” Datu whispers to him.

Jae hums and drifts off within a second. Undoubtedly there is more to come, and the rock in his shoulder could come back, but so long as Datu is there with him to ease it away he feels like he can take on any storm.