[ A Nice Guy. That's 'Li's role. Not Hei's. But the very thing that makes Li so convincing is that he has a kernel -- a fraction -- of truth. It solidifies his persona. Gives it a backbone. Some mornings, right before Hei opens his eyes and shakes off sleep, he feels like Li. Not the timidity or stupidity; all that is windowdressing. But the core sense of decency -- of being a cohesive human being, blessed in his wholesome ignorance. ]
[ (Then reality creeps in, and, as with all extra fluff, that is enough to make him vanish. ) ]
[ There's a glance at Korra, calm and appreciative, at the sight of her in just his towel. Again, he feels that strange sense of intimacy in this Livin La Vida Domestica -- just as when he was feeding her. Then he realizes the strangeness is familiarity. It's why his memory keeps resurrecting Amber. The essentials in this hook-up are different -- he's willing to give, where with his one-offs, he'd only taken. Fucking these few years, had been only about his satisfaction, temporary obliteration of tension, temporary access to feeling, the rougher the better. The girls were just the means to that end. ]
[ The realization confuses him. Makes him a little uncomfortable. ]
[ He doesn't take as long as her in the shower. A hot soak first, then turn the water off, then meticulously apply the lather, then turn the water on again to rinse the soap and shampoo off. Five minutes in total. He's all about efficiency and saving resources, the freak. Returning, hair toweled dry, he extends a thick bundle at her. ] I think this is yours. [ Her coat. The one she'd left in the shed. He'd revisited two days ago (a criminal returning to a crime-scene?) to scope the area for a safe-house. The coat was still there, sullen and browned and gathering leaves. He isn't sure what prompted him to pick the filthy thing up and wash it. But he offers it to her now like an old book left in his safekeeping. ]
⊕ action
[ (Then reality creeps in, and, as with all extra fluff, that is enough to make him vanish. ) ]
[ There's a glance at Korra, calm and appreciative, at the sight of her in just his towel. Again, he feels that strange sense of intimacy in this Livin La Vida Domestica -- just as when he was feeding her. Then he realizes the strangeness is familiarity. It's why his memory keeps resurrecting Amber. The essentials in this hook-up are different -- he's willing to give, where with his one-offs, he'd only taken. Fucking these few years, had been only about his satisfaction, temporary obliteration of tension, temporary access to feeling, the rougher the better. The girls were just the means to that end. ]
[ The realization confuses him. Makes him a little uncomfortable. ]
[ He doesn't take as long as her in the shower. A hot soak first, then turn the water off, then meticulously apply the lather, then turn the water on again to rinse the soap and shampoo off. Five minutes in total. He's all about efficiency and saving resources, the freak. Returning, hair toweled dry, he extends a thick bundle at her. ] I think this is yours. [ Her coat. The one she'd left in the shed. He'd revisited two days ago (a criminal returning to a crime-scene?) to scope the area for a safe-house. The coat was still there, sullen and browned and gathering leaves. He isn't sure what prompted him to pick the filthy thing up and wash it. But he offers it to her now like an old book left in his safekeeping. ]