WIP

[abitofawildman]

They call him up from the galley.

"We just saw it, and didn't want you to miss him fly by," was all they said.

Sky Bison off the port bow.

Bumi laughed, shaking his head as he stood and made his way above deck. His smile fell however, when he looked up and noticed Appa had no rider and no saddle. It wasn't like the old boy to just wander off, which meant...oh. Oh no.

Without word Bumi turned to go back in the direction he'd just come from, moving below deck again towards his quarters. He packed in earnest. This wasn't his father zipping past, or stopping by for a visit, this was something else entirely.

The ship rocked as the ten ton sky bison landed with a thud on the main deck. Bumi appeared moments later, a small bag slung over one shoulder.

"Commander, what are you doing?"

"Leaving."

"But you can't just...go."

"Watch me."

"Your command!"

"Relieve me of it. Label me a deserter or a traitor, I don't care which. Do what ever you like. I'm getting off this boat."

He doesn't look back, Bumi stays his course towards the sky bison, who lowers just enough to allow the man to climb onto its back.

If it wasn't bad they would have messaged.
If it wasn't urgent Appa wouldn't have come.
If it wasn't life threatening Kya would be there to keep him company during the trip.

When Bumi is seated comfortably on Appa's neck he looks up to find that his entire crew has appeared to see him off. He sits up straight and offers them a salute, which they all return once they too have found their way to attention.

"Yip yip," he says and Appa's tail comes crashing down down for lift off.

As they rise into the clouds and head towards Air Temple Island Bumi knows that his father is dying.

Comments

[spiralmovements]

"Oh, absolutely. My father and the only other airbender besides myself on the planet asks my mother and I to wait on doing something. That sounds exactly like something I would disobey.

"You can hate me or not. But I am..." A million different things, all at once.

"I'm on a thread, brother. A slender one. I would prefer it if you forestalled your rage for some other point in time. Please."

[abitofawildman]

"I don't hate you," he spits out along side a frustrated sigh. "I hate..." both arms extend, as if Bumi were capable of encompassing the entire world between them. "This."

[spiralmovements]

Tenzin just nods his head shakily. Agreement out loud would be a little too much at the moment.

[abitofawildman]

Bumi runs his hands over his face, and just tries his damnedest to collect himself. It's not right to lash out at Tenzin, and he knows this. But...he has never been good at just letting go of his anger. He needs a target, and Tenzin all but volunteered.

For a time the only sound is the crashing of the waves on the rocks below.

"You can't bring him a radio," he says finally. "I'm AWOL."

If the whole world didn't know before, they do now.

[spiralmovements]

Tenzin nods. "I had assumed. I can find record albums or some other thing. No news.







"Why is Mother so much better at this than we are?"

[abitofawildman]

Bumi turns back towards his brother and sighs.

"Years of practice, I'd wager."

[spiralmovements]

"Nobody knows what they're doing. Not in this, at least. Not here," Tenzin tells his brother's back as though this is the most normal of conversations.

"Would you like to help me pick out some music?"

[abitofawildman]

Tenzin isn't wrong.
He rarely is, the bastard.

"Yeah. Yeah, sure." He pauses to pinch at the bridge of his nose. "I...I should get cleaned up first."

[spiralmovements]

"Of course. Your room is always available, and after you have finished perhaps you can meet me by the office to peruse the choices for music?"

[abitofawildman]

"I will."

Bumi looks one last time out at the horizon.

"Tenzin, I'm sorry for snapping at you. You don't deserve it, and I was completely out of line."

[spiralmovements]

Tenzin almost smiles at his brother at that.

"Do you know something?

"You yelling at me has been the healthiest thing that has been in my head for a week."

[abitofawildman]

His head tilts to one side, and for a very brief moment there's a ghost of a smirk on his lips.

"You're welcome?"

[spiralmovements]

Tenzin just smiles back. "Go. I will see you again soon."

[abitofawildman]

Bumi nods, straightens his jacket in an attempt to make himself look a slight bit more presentable for when he makes his way across the island towards his old room.

But before he actually leaves Tenzin to his own devices he pauses when he reaches his brother.

"Anytime you want me to yell at you again, all you have to do is ask," he says with all sincerity. Then he gathers his brother up in a hug and kisses him on the side of the head the way he used to when they were younger, when Tenzin was the smaller brother.

"i love you, airhead."

The tender moment is punctuated by a rather hard clap on the back.

[spiralmovements]

Tenzin swallows hard at the affection, nods slowly in reply, and watches Bumi walk.

"I love you too Bumi."

It take Tenzin another minute (or five) to cope, school his features, and be Master again, when nothing at all seems under control.