Sam Tetsu

Air Bender, Winner of the 22nd Annual Games.

[itsrainingblades]

Wide-eyed || Sam & Ronin

[flamesandgames]

Ronin drew in a deep breath. “I’ve started practicing earthbending on my own.” He said, quiet. “I’m not great at technique, but I’m stubborn enough to get things to move. I just need—” he glanced over his shoulder at Sam. “Water. And then I’ve got all four.” He bit his lip, wondering how Sam would respond.

[itsrainingblades]

Sam listened, remembering his talk with Roman. Ronin was on his way to being the avatar. "That's... wow, that's... amazing, Ronin." He grinned, though he was nervous for him. "So... what does this mean for the Games?" Sam prompted, unsure just how rebellious he was getting.

[itsrainingblades]

Wide-eyed || Sam & Ronin

[itsrainingblades]

Sam folllowed Ronin wordlessly, he didn’t mind the quiet between them. He was just glad to see that Ronin was better, he’d been worried. He sat and watched the avatar, looking up when he finally spoke.

"…What kind of stupid? I mean, what did you do?" He bit his lip, watching him with apprehension.

[flamesandgames]

"I went into the spirit world," He said carefully. "And I met with Koh the Face Stealer." He winced at his own words. It didn’t get any easier saying it. It wasn’t..his proudest moment, or his most intelligent one. But he had survived.

And he had straightened out a few things in his head.

[itsrainingblades]

Sam blinked, taking in what he'd said. "... Judging from the fact that you're here and you have a face, I'd say it was successful?" He held back saying anything else, Ronin obviously knew it wasn't the wisest decision.

"So... what now?"

[itsrainingblades]

Wide-eyed || Sam & Ronin

[itsrainingblades]

"I… didn’t mean to accuse you of it. Sorry, just… off day." He chuckled dryly. Sam felt a few shivers travel up his arm where Ronin touched it. He couldn’t help but nod. "Yeah, tea sounds perfect…"

Sam looked at Ronin with a smile, “You just seem… different. Better. Not that you weren’t good before, but you weren’t feeling well and… well you just seem a lot happier now. What happened?”

[flamesandgames]

Ronin tugged him out of the hall before he thought to answer, into one of the studies where his mother sometimes took tea. He rummaged around to check that the supplies were there before starting the burner to warm the kettle of water with a flick of blue fire. “I did something sort of stupid.” Ronin said, glancing back over his shoulder at Sam.

[itsrainingblades]

Sam folllowed Ronin wordlessly, he didn't mind the quiet between them. He was just glad to see that Ronin was better, he'd been worried. He sat and watched the avatar, looking up when he finally spoke.

"...What kind of stupid? I mean, what did you do?" He bit his lip, watching him with apprehension.

[itsrainingblades]

Wide-eyed || Sam & Ronin

[flamesandgames]

"I don’t take any drugs." Ronin frowned a little, but his smile returned a moment later. "Are you okay?" He asked suddenly, concerned, touching Sam’s shoulder. He was…worried. Worried Sam might drink himself stupid, or numb like Tybalt did.

He hadn’t seen Tybalt in a while, either.

Pushing the thought aside, he ran his fingers down Sam’s arm gently. “Do you want to take some tea with me? You look like you could use it.”

[itsrainingblades]

"I... didn't mean to accuse you of it. Sorry, just... off day." He chuckled dryly. Sam felt a few shivers travel up his arm where Ronin touched it. He couldn't help but nod. "Yeah, tea sounds perfect..."

Sam looked at Ronin with a smile, "You just seem... different. Better. Not that you weren't good before, but you weren't feeling well and... well you just seem a lot happier now. What happened?"

[itsrainingblades]

Wide-eyed || Sam & Ronin

[itsrainingblades]

Sam stopped in his tracks. He had to blink back, to make sure he was seeing right. “Ronin… are you… you okay?” He stepped a bit closer. Ronin looked healthier, but… out of it.

He put a hand on Ronin’s shoulder, looking him more closely in the eyes. “Are you on something?”

[flamesandgames]

Ronin looked puzzled. “On something?” He laughed a little. His eyes were normal again. He didn’t look nearly so tired — none of the bruised, deep circles under his eyes. He touched Sam’s hand, squeezing gently. “I’m alright. I’m fantastic.  A little hungry, maybe. I was meditating and I kind of just…started to wander.”

[itsrainingblades]

Sam nodded slowly, "I mean, I'm glad you're feeling better, don't get me wrong, you just seemed... high or something." He chuckled a little, his own mood improving thanks to Ronin. "But I'm glad I ran into you."

[itsrainingblades]

Wide-eyed || Sam & Ronin

[flamesandgames]

Ronin seemed dazed. For a moment his eyes seemed to be glowing white — but he blinked once, and his eyes were normal again. He had seemed to be wandering aimlessly, as if in a trance. He flashed a smile. He looked healthier — more color in his cheeks since the last time he’d seen Sam.

"Sam," he said, as if confirming for himself that he was awake. "I’ve missed you…" Ronin still wasn’t quite back. The spirits seemed so much brighter around him after his spiritual journey.

[itsrainingblades]

Sam stopped in his tracks. He had to blink back, to make sure he was seeing right. "Ronin... are you... you okay?" He stepped a bit closer. Ronin looked healthier, but... out of it.

He put a hand on Ronin's shoulder, looking him more closely in the eyes. "Are you on something?"

[itsrainingblades]

[itsrainingblades]

[itsrainingblades]

Wide-eyed || Sam & Ronin

Sam had to get away from the training area for a bit. Watching the fire tributes and the water tributes go at it like they did, so sure and strong, Sam could only hang his head and walk away. Leonine was still healing, so she trained in the gardens instead of the arena. He just couldn't be around other tributes right now.

He walked down the hall, eyes on his feet as he went. Sam ignored the peacekeepers along the way, and they ignored him, as always. He heard another set of feet approaching and looked up, if only to make sure he didn't hit the oncoming person. His lips turned up slightly when he saw who it was, "Ronin~"

[itsrainingblades]

Killer Luck || Simon & Sam

[grinninglikeafoolinhell-blog]

Simon snorted, running a critical eye over the brimming shot glass. Better wait a few minutes, he thought, stomach churning. He dragged his focus back to Sam’s face before making a face. “In a minute.” He scooted the shot over, out of his sight, barely noticing the way the amber liquid splashed over his fingers.

"The chances," he spat, "the odds, the statistics. Don’t talk to me about luck, Sam. Lady luck smiled a gap-toothed, death’s head smile at me. ‘Simon won by luck,’ they say. ‘That lucky bastard,’ they call me. Me? I think I was cursed. I think death would have been easier than condemning others to that hell. And getting attatched?” He choked on a sob. “Too late,” he whispered, hanging his head.

He started to blindly play with the tequila on the counter, drawing absent minded patterns in the fiery liquid without looking. All the anger went out of him in a sighed breath. “The thing is, I wish I could show them all the bending scrolls and all the techniques, but I can’t. Kian’s taught me more about bending than anyone. I just wish I could return the favor.” He turned tear filled eyes to the other mentor, silently begging.

[itsrainingblades]

Sam watched Simon, he couldn't help but feel for him. He knew how it was. Mentoring was almost as difficult as the Games, harder in some ways. They wouldn't be drinking their asses off every other night if that wasn't the case.

"You, me, Tybalt... we're all the unluckiest bastards in the world. Well, aside from the ones who didn't make it, but half the time I'd say they were the lucky ones." Sam sighed, sipping at more tequila even though at this point he knew he should stop.

Sam met Silmon's pleading gaze and shook his head. "You c-can't do any more than try." He hiccuped, finally setting down the ice glass. "There's no magic word, no perfect technique that'll let them win. You just have to face it, they're probably going to die out there." He looked away, seeing Simon all teary like this just made him start to get emotional and he wanted nothing to do with that. "Maybe what Kian's teaching you will save him, or maybe you can teach it to another tribute and it'll save them, but there's no easy way. All but one... only one kid is coming out of this alive. That's all there is to it."

[nothingelsetooffer]

Water Under the Bridge || Sam

[itsrainingblades]

Sam rolled his eyes and snorted, “If you think I’m sweet, you’re more stupid than you look.” The show of affection was odd for Sam, but he couldn’t help the smile that rose to his lips. He’s not even your tribute. Don’t get fuckin’ attached, you do this every fuckin’ time, he’ll be dead and you’ll just go back to the islands to drink yourself into a stupor again.

[nothingelsetooffer]

"You are sweet," Kian insisted with a smirk. "Not many people would willingly continue to be a mentor just to keep others from the pain of it all." He leaned on the table, heaving a sigh. 

[itsrainingblades]

Sam let his head fall back and laughed, "Fine, fine. Whatever you say." He didn't feel like arguing. Sam smiled a bit and sighed back, "Well, I should probably get around to finding my tributes..."

[itsrainingblades]

Dust in the Wind || Jay & Sam

[itsrainingblades]

Sam looked at her with a flat-lined attempted at a smile. “I can’t blame you for that.” He flushed as she grabbed his hand, unsure exactly what she was getting at. “O-Okay… can’t say that I know all of them either, I spend most of my free time in the gardens when I’m here..”

[andtheoneswehailaretheworstofall]

Jay’s face lit up. “Gardens! Trees and grass and wind! Oh, let’s go there!” She started pulling him down the hallways, not entirely sure where she was going. “I miss being outside. I like it outside.” She sighed wistfully. “I grew up outside, with the trees around me and the wind blowing through my hair. I hate being inside.”

[itsrainingblades]

Sam followed her, definitely unused to anyone being quite this friendly with him... or forward. "There's nothing like fresh air..." He agreed, trotting along behind her. "Take a right, up here." He told her, the gardens were just beyond that hall.

[nothingelsetooffer]

Water Under the Bridge || Sam

[nothingelsetooffer]

Kian tilted his head, a small smile playing on his lips. “That’s almost… Sweet. That you’re willing to do that for the other airbenders. I’m impressed.” He reached out impulsively and mussed up Sam’s hair. “You’re sweet.”

[itsrainingblades]

Sam rolled his eyes and snorted, "If you think I'm sweet, you're more stupid than you look." The show of affection was odd for Sam, but he couldn't help the smile that rose to his lips. He's not even your tribute. Don't get fuckin' attached, you do this every fuckin' time, he'll be dead and you'll just go back to the islands to drink yourself into a stupor again.

[itsrainingblades]

Killer Luck || Simon & Sam

[grinninglikeafoolinhell-blog]

"Kissing ass, huh?" Simon snorted before hiccuping. He let his head fall onto the counter next his shot glass. "Oh, spirits. They are both going to die," he moaned. He felt something in his stomach twist at the thought of their blood spilling onto the earth. He opened his eyes wide, trying to banish the image of his two tributes’ faces replacing those of the corpses he’d created in the games last year. Shaking his head he brought himself forcefully back to the conversation at hand. "The only thing I am worse at than kissing ass is keeping out of trouble." He sighed and picked up the frozen shot glass again for one more tequila shot. He was well over his limit, but he didn’t care.

"What do you think the chance of K—them getting as lucky as I did?" He turned mournful eyes to the air mentor in front of him.

[itsrainingblades]

Sam grabbed the bottle, topping them both off with a sigh, "Don't dwell on it... trust me, it only makes it harder on you. Drink." He kicked back his own, savoring the burn. He liked to imagine that enough shots might take away his memory for good, but that was just wishful thinking.

"Chances? ... not gonna lie, it's not good. Don't get attached, Simon. Luck only runs so far, and I'm pretty sure you stretched it thin to start with. Could say the same for myself, considering I'm still here... doing the same old shit every year. Glutton for punishment, I guess." He filled up his glass again, tequila spilling up over the top. Sam gestured for Simon, raising a brow. Poor guy, I remember what it was like my first year. Not enough tequila in the world to erase that.

"Just do the best you can. That's all you can do. You could show them ancient water bending scrolls and advanced techniques and train them on every weapon on that fuckin' rack and they still might go down in the first five minutes. It's just how it goes."

[anunlitflame-blog]

{ａｉｒㅤｂｅｎｄｅｒｓ}

Leonine Hara, Not Quite an Apology (x) 

Sam Tetsu, Proven Killers (x) 

[yourfirstladylavinia]

Where our story begins. {Part 1}

"Air. Water. Earth. Fire.

When I was a child, my grandfather told me the story of Avatar Aang and Avatar Korra, when balance was restored not once, but twice. Republic City was built, and for several years, we overcame wars and thrived in peace and harmony.

But after Korra’s lifetime, balance began to shift as the Equalists and their cause grew stronger. When Dr. Corbel Finchel began to mass produce Tethalene, a suppressant used against benders, the tables were turned. The new Avatar, Lian Shu, was seized at the beginning of the uprising, and Ianthus Arathald became the first non-bending leader of the Four Nations.”

[itsrainingblades]

Dust in the Wind || Jay & Sam

[itsrainingblades]

"Kian seems like a good kid." Sam agreed, "And yeah, difficult… that’s a good word for all this." He sighed, finally looking when she came out clothed. He stood and smiled back, trying to ease away the awkwardness he knew he was emitting from every angle.

"Sorry, just… not very good at being around people most days." Sober, at least. Alcohol helped with that most times, he’d found.

[andtheoneswehailaretheworstofall]

Jay nodded. “I understand…well, to a point. I can empathize, at least.” She stepped up to him and straightened her shirt. “Though most of my time now is filled with the need to be close to another person.” She smiled up at him and shrugged. “I figure if there’s a huge possibility I’m going to die, I should at least die knowing what it feels like to be close to another person.” She grabbed Sam’s hand and tugged, a smile on her face. “Come on, let’s go wander. I still have no idea where most of these passages lead to.”

[itsrainingblades]

Sam looked at her with a flat-lined attempted at a smile. "I can't blame you for that." He flushed as she grabbed his hand, unsure exactly what she was getting at. "O-Okay... can't say that I know all of them either, I spend most of my free time in the gardens when I'm here.."