It's Christmas!

[alderwood]

Characters: Baby turtles and you!
Date: December 25/26/27!
Location: All over Keeliai!
Situation: The baby turtles are hatching, and Christmas spirit comes with them!
Warnings/Rating: Please include warnings in comment subject lines, otherwise have at!

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[imaginate]

[He nods, mouth quirked upwards pensively.]

Kilowog.

[A single word, but it carries weight. He spent time picking names, when he'd browsed through the parenting books.]

A dear friend. Good soldier. Tough as nails.

[alphatar]

That's a- nice name. [what?]

Temeraire and I were thinking of Eshai, but all three of us have to agree on it first. [A telepathic message catches Korra's attention and she set her self forward, bracing against-

the wind?

Then the turtle's head rears back and headbutts her, causing her to stagger back a bit.] Gotta get used to that too. You don't have any water, do you?[Rubbing her head, she wants to prevent a bruise; and a concussion if possible.]

[imaginate]

Oh, it's a girl?

[He apologises to the hatchling, and then the turtle sends cheer at him anyway. Jeez, he's just about blissed out from it, and he's not even their parents, who must be getting so much more.]

No water, sorry. You know, you could just... not headbutt.

[alphatar]

[Korra shrugs her shoulders at that. She didn't check to see if it's a boy or a girl.]

Oh no. Headbutts are important. [Said matter-of-factly because, well, because it's her baby turtle.] But she's heading to Temeraire's since it's his turn to watch. It's, kind of weird to not be moving eggs anymore.

[Now that she notices, this is the first time she and Kyle actually had a chance to do small talk. At the clinic it's business as usual.]

[imaginate]

Headbutts hurt.

[He doesn't seem bothered by that, though, and upon stating her destination, he gets up, follows. The turtle's been keeping him happy and for one of the few times in his life, he actually wants to stay that way for as long as he can.]

C'mon, I'll walk with you.

[alphatar]

All right, we’re almost there. She just wandered off at the last second.

[Being around the baby turtle has been nothing but good for Korra and she manages to keep it from wandering to off their path. Korra takes only a few moments to take the young turtle into Temeraire’s suite in the Fire Sector.]

So how many turtles have you had to stop from destroying everything they walk on? [Mostly a quip, Korra didn’t mind them. They were too important.]

[imaginate]

Troublemaker.

[He sends a wave of affection towards the hatchling, and it chirps happily. He hasn't worn his ring all day and thus, there's been no need for restraint, and he didn't consider that he'd need to defend himself against them.]

[Well, maybe from the headbutting.]

Hm? Not that many. I mostly had to stop them from doing- [another wave of cheer which almost bowls him over] that.

[alphatar]

Troublemaker, huh. Kind of fitting. [Teasing, of course she wouldn’t name her big baby turtle that. As the turtle leaves them, its presence goes too and Korra starts to feel that edge she tends put herself on whenever Kyle’s close by.]

…where’s your ring?

[imaginate]

Kids tend to be.

[Once the turtle's out of range Kyle exhales, quietly, the edge that surrounds him resurfaces. Yet, he stubbornly holds it off, intending to enjoy the happiness afforded by the hatchling for as long as he can.]

It's around [Cryptic, but he's never been unarmed since the day he got it. Not about to start now.] Not much use for it today.

[alphatar]

[Somehow she's not surprised, but it's the first time Korra's seen him not wearing it.]

Not even for flying, huh?

[imaginate]

[He chuckles.]

Don't think I could. I've had enough turtle sled rides to last me a lifetime.

[alphatar]

Don't get too attached. We're all on one, even them.

[Korra can't beat around the bush for long, not unless she's teasing someone.]

So what's up? [They usually don't stick around each other this long. That edge seems to creep up between them.]

[imaginate]

[Kyle tilts his head, studies her.]

What, it's weird to you that I smile?

[Under normal circumstances he'd sound hurt - incredibly so. He never wanted to be remembered as a warrior. The laughter - it had always looked and felt natural on his face. He just... had less of it these days.]

[alphatar]

Nah, I know you do sometimes. Zatanna told me. [Snarkiest smirk ever.]

[imaginate]

That's cheating.

[He smirks back. Two can play at this game, Korra.]

Bet you can't get me to smile. Or hey - let's up the stakes a little. You can't get me to laugh.

[alphatar]

[She's only seen this side of Kyle, and it was after she practically broke down.]

You're on.

[A second while she thinks of something, then:] True or False: Naga threw up on my dad when he was trying to bathe her.

[Mention of her name causes the polar bear dog to nose into the air between them.]

[imaginate]

[Kyle scritches Naga behind her ear affectionately, and ponders.]

... False? Do polar bear dogs even throw up?

[Glances at Naga.]

I can't afford dry-clean for anything other than the uniform, okay?

[alphatar]

[Ear scritches net Kyle a face full of polar bear dog tongue.]

Yeah, they do throw up. And it's a mess. But you're right. She, didn't.

[Beat.]

She threw up on me when I was bathing her.

[imaginate]

[He indulges Naga. He's fond of her.]

[He smiles brightly at the admission, too amused by the mental image.]

6 out of 10. Good try. Go again?

[alphatar]

Sure: While my mouth was open.

[She has to say it through the line that is her mouth.]

[imaginate]

[Kyle, actually unexpectedly laughs at that.]

Oh God. I'm sorry, I shouldn't be laughing. It must have been awful trying to get that out of your hair.

[alphatar]

It was. Didn't matter though, I just ended up throwing up on her afterwards.

We both needed a bath.

[Slightly put off by the memory, Korra wrangles Naga by the neck and hugs her.]

But I still wash her by hand, just waterbending doesn't feel right.

[imaginate]

[He nods. He's never been that good with relating to Korra, but she did just go out on a limb for him, and he was in a good mood from the turtle.]

You win fair and square. Pick anything you want for lunch, I'm paying.

[alphatar]

[Oh no. Food. Her weakness. Not even hesitating:]

Well, we're in the Fire Sector- there's a restaurant that's open all day and night and serve beakfast, lunch and dinner any time.

[Jim took her there once and she almost ruined it by walking out on him.]

You know it? [Denny's]

DENNY'S IT IS

[imaginate]

[A+, Rayner.]

Yeah, one of James' favourites. It's [he stands on his tiptoes and looks around] that way?