fandomhighdorms | The Pool / September 14 / Early Morning

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The Pool / September 14 / Early Morning

Azula stared at the pool.

Despite popular belief Firebenders did not hate water. The Fire Nation was surrounded by water hating it would be as useless as hating the air or the earth instead her people took to the water as they would anything -- they conquered and mastered the waters until the Fire Nation Navy became the unquestioned masters of the sea.

It was an accomplishment the Waterbenders, the purported Masters of Water, could not rival.

Azula thought this was one of the things she shared with her countrymen but now all Azula could do was stare at the swimming pool with clenched fists.

(Open pool is open!)

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This was a weakness. Weaknesses were meant to be eradicated.

Screwing her eyes shut, Azula jumped into the pool and just like before as soon as she hit the water she froze and memories came rushing to her and before she knew it, she had leapt out of the pool again, breathing raggedly.

Damn that Water Tribe wench. What did she do to her?

This was Ender's usual time for a dip in the pool, just before work, a few hours before class, and he came padding in with his towel in hand only to find that it was occupied. He took in her stance, the clenched fists, the frustration; after a calculated moment, he put down his towel, and walked towards the pool without saying a word.

He made his steps heavy enough that he was fairly sure he wouldn't startle anyone there.

Azula turned her head at the sound of foot steps and made herself relax, after a moment moved to the corner she dipped one foot into the water and then sat on the ledge. This way she could watch the newcomer and still attempt to deal with her problem.

Yes, that was the right word for it. Problem.

The newcomer - although in many ways, that might have just as easily applied to her - mirrored her actions a few feet away, sitting down, sliding a foot into the water, but otherwise paying her no direct attention.

He was giving it some time.

It seemed he really was intent on using the pool, cutting short her training, finding herself alone in the company of a stranger, wearing nothing else but swim wear, Azula was forced into politeness.

Wryly, she recalled her own words to her brother and uncle (In my country, we exchange a pleasant 'hello') so long ago.

"Hello."

"Hello," Ender replied, light, careful to avoid anything that might have made a mention of her problems right now.

He didn't say anything else, but his head tilted up, away from its feigned contemplation of the back wall, and he was faintly smiling in a way that had nothing to do with put-on politeness.

He was careful, this one.

"Pleasant morning," Azula said, attempting small talk.

Her legs dangled in the water for more than five minutes now if pushed she could enumerate to the second how long her legs were submerged.

"Probably," he answered, his own feet making idle circles in the water, turning his collected nature into a kind of shyness. "But I haven't been outside to see."

He tilted his chin up. "Ender Wiggin," he offered. "I usually go swimming at this time-- though that's not an attempt to shoo you out. I hope I haven't made too much of a disturbance."

He was disturbing but as to finding it annoyance or a welcome relief Azula was still not sure.

"Azula," she replied, choosing not to add the standard 'Princess of the Fire Nation'. "It seems I'm the one disturbing your routine."

"My routine can take a few dents," he assured her, wryly. "If nothing else, I can probably use the shake-up." His eyes flicked down to her feet. "First time down here?" he guessed.

"Yes, I only ~~handwavily~~ discovered the pool last night," she answered. Her feet were not moving, they were just there, in the water. But she didn't have as bad a reaction to it as she'd realize. "Shake-ups are a good thing, I suppose."

She used to like those, or rather, she used to like it when she was the one doing the shake-ups. Azula discovered she didn't much like being on the other side of it.

"Depends on whether it's destructive or constructive," Ender replied, letting his own feet paddle slowly in the water. "Controllable, or not. I think you and I'd agree it wouldn't be a good thing if the school exploded right now."

Another wry smile.

Azula answered with a smile of her own. Possibly more evil. "I wouldn't say 'no' to that scenario."

"While you were still in it?"

Ender pushed himself lightly off the side of the pool, his legs sliding into the water before the rest of him got anywhere. "I guess that would be a shake-up."

"Hopefully somewhere safe where I can enjoy the view," she said.

She watched him sink into the water feeling part envious and part wary.

Ender didn't move when he found himself in the water. Instead, he stretched his arms over the edge of the pool, keeping himself steady, in place. "It might happen," he said, "It did two graduations ago."

He wasn't going to prompt her to get in. Yet.

"Did it?" Azula processed this information and went through the information she already had about the school and the island. "Was this during one of these so-called invasions?"

"Aliens, from what I hear," he said, keeping his voice friendly. "Sorry, am I keeping you from swimming?"

It wasn't playing dumb, per se.

"Aliens," Azula repeated. It was possible, she was from an alternate Earth after all.

"Not at all," she replied, keeping her voice light. "I took a dip earlier and... I'm just taking my time."

She literally did, she jumped in and leaped back-up.

"Sometimes it takes a while," Ender confided. "I used to sit here for an hour or so before I could plunge back in again."

"It does," agreeing but not committal. Azula didn't know how she'd react a second time and she'd rather not test it when people were around.

"I suppose you've been in Fandom long?"

"A little over a year now," he said, letting his feet float back up to the surface. "Considering how people come and go, I guess that constitutes 'long'. You're from the new batch?"

"I am." Azula supposed his phrasing was so much better than the obvious and tiring: 'You're new?'

Ender nodded. "Well, far be it from me to add to the usual barrage of newbie questions you might be getting," he said. "Can I expect to see you here more often?" He sounded interested.

She hesitated for a second. She was going to have to find a way around this problem of hers sooner or later.

"Yes, now that I know there's a pool here, I expect I'll be here on occasion."

She'll just make sure she'll be here extra early so she'll get her 'training' out of the way first.

"Then maybe one of these days, I'll catch you making the leap," he said, and cracked a grin.

Not if she can do something about it but when she smiled, it looked like a genuine smile.

"Perhaps," she said in a pleasant tone.

He pushed off from the wall, propelling himself through the water. He let it eb just long enough to leave him, drifting, on his back. Nearly weightless.

It was obvious she had issues with the water, and her statements about the school had made her aggression clear. Ender didn't mind.

She eyed him as he finally began. He looked at peace.

For some reason she couldn't name it made Azula uncomfortable witnessing this so she pulled herself up and proceeded to the changing room, snagging her towel along the way.

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The Pool / September 14 / Early Morning

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