#im not coming off hietus tho <3

[hermitblurbs]

ATLA au

——————

He’s been allowed a small table in the quarters of the castle, separate from the other imperial firebenders. The door shuts behind him with a silent click, and the incense is lit without even a bending gesture as he kneels in front of the makeshift shrine. Pine smoke curls around an old, worn theatre mask, and Cub breathes.

The servants know better than to disturb him at sunset.

Cub sits vigil as the sky slinks from glorious day to quiet night and then some, losing himself in the space between sun rays. He’s only brought out of it at the sound of footsteps outside his door, unmonitored and militaristic on the wood lined stone floor.

The servants know better. Bravo, on the other hand, seems to know nothing.

He’s accompanied as always by the feather-light steps of a dozen servants. There’s at least a beat of hesitance from them to open his door for the crown prince, so Cub makes sure there’s enough time to escape before he reaches for the lamps bordering the door, tightening his grip until they explode outwards into cerulean flame.

Bravo must learn something, because he cuts through it. Cub can feel how it left the line of his pinky singed through, never mind at how the embers smolder into his overdecorated robes.

“Come on, that’s not fair,” comes the grating lilt of the prince’s voice, then accompanied by the puffs of dusting ash. “You’re usually done by now.”

Cub opens his eyes to stars outside his window. He doesn’t have it in him to be properly surprised. He’s sat vigil from sun down to sunrise before, though that’s always been after the Fire Lord sent him to do something that left blood stuck beneath his nails.

Finally, he turns to look at the prince.

“Do you have a reason to be bothering me?” he asks, because Bravo never asks to spar this late. The answer is, as expected,

“I don’t, but father does. He’s called for us.”

“Us, or me?” Cub asks just to watch the smarmy look fall from his face. That in and of itself would be answer enough.

Except it doesn’t, because his grin only widens.

“Us.”

Cub sits up straighter. There’s next to nothing that would require both of them, not unless the Fire Lord wants another demonstration on how lessons have been going. Not at night though—night is for missions.

“Let’s go, then.”

#blurb #just a little snippet i wrote for an rp! #cubfan135 #ficlet #know that i see your messages and i love you all dearly #im not coming off hietus tho <3 #might answer some questions about my aus if anyone has any though