4Disclaimer: I do not own this maze of bone and flesh and word and wit. But I do swear, that if I dare, I'll make something of it.
A/N: A birthday present for TheBlueFoxtrot A Samba! Sorry it's late, my internet hasn't been working too well. Hope you like it! Happy Birthday, Blue!
The first time he sees her she is trying to kill him, and if that doesn't tell you something about his taste in women then nothing will. She is all red lips and long silky black hair and two long, thin knives flashing in the extremely dim lighting of his bed chamber, and then he is up, out of bed and running for his weapons chest.
The fact that she gives him time to get there endears her to him immediately.
"Who sent you?" he asks pleasantly, drawing his sword and moving around so that his back is to a wall.
She laughs. "Maybe I came on my own," she says, teasingly. "Maybe I have a grudge against you."
"Not so," he replies, flashing her a cheerful smile full of teeth. "No one has a grudge against me. I am very sure of that."
"Is that so?" she says, red lips curving at the corners. "How can you be so sure?"
He shrugs, carelessly. "I don't make a habit of leaving enemies behind to hold grudges."
She laughs again and Piandao feels himself swoon a little. Her laugh reminds him of the ring of swords and the rush of fire right before everything around him dissolves into chaos. It's like a battle cry, and though Piando really does want peace, he can't deny that a small part of him revels in the clash of metal that follows that laugh.
He grins at her over their crossed blades.
"Who are you?" he asks.
"My name is Jun," she answers, and he laughs because she thinks that she is going to kill him. She has given him her name and he supposes that is a courtesy one might give to one's prey.
"I thought that you were a bounty hunter," he says.
"I am," she says back, "but times are hard, and a girl's got to eat."
"Assassination though?"
Jun shrugs, somehow managing to make the gesture look effortless, even though Piandao can see the strain in her arms from holding him back. "You must be very important. I'm getting paid a lot of money to kill you."
"You don't know who I am?" He is almost offended.
"Should I?" She sounds amused, probably because he is pouting now.
"I am Piandao, Swordmaster and Lord of…" he trails off. She clearly doesn't much care.
"I am very important," he says instead, sulkily. She tries to stab him with a third knife that she produces out of the folds of red that envelop her whole body and he twists just in time to avoid being shish-kebabed.
"I believe you," she says solemnly, as though she were not currently engaged in attempted murder. Piandao sort of wants to kiss her.
He is busily ignoring the little voice in the back of his head that sounds remarkably like Master Pakku and is saying You are crazy she is trying to kill you stop flirting and end this you know you can she is not even in the same league as you she is a bounty hunter not an assassin, for Ocean's sake, Piandao stop flirting!
He would much rather listen to the other voice, the one that sounds suspiciously like General Iroh and says There is always time for a little flirting a little dancing a little loving go on enjoy it the worst that can happen is that she will kill you and she already wanted to do that anyway so what have you got to lose?
He twists again and disarms her with one flick of his wrist. She stares at the wall where two of her knives are embedded up to the hilt and then back at him. He smiles at her, pleased with himself.
"Impressed?" he hears himself ask.
She blinks at him, fiery eyes lighting with something other than battle lust, perfect red lips pursing into a round little O.
"I told you," he says. "I am the Swordmaster. You never stood a chance."
She snarls at him then, flinging one hand out and sending yet another knife flying straight for his neck. Piandao ducks just in time, rolling forwards and coming up right in her personal space. This time, he gives in to the urge and kisses her.
She breaks away, breathless and sputtering. "Wha –why –why did you do that?" She stares at him, flushed in surprise and… pleasure?
"I wanted to," he answers simply.
"I am trying to kill you," she points out, as if he had somehow missed this important detail. He laughs.
"Yes, I can tell," he says teasingly. "But you have not killed me yet."
"Still," she says, "this is hardly the time or place."
Piandao leans in again, and when she doesn't stab him, allows himself to press one chaste kiss on her jaw. "A friend of mine once said that while there is life, there is time, and while you are here, there is a place."
She tilts her head in unspoken permission and he delightedly smiles against her cheek. "Your friend doesn't happen to be an old man with a very grumpy nephew does he?"
"You know Iroh?" he says cheerfully.
"We've met," she answers dryly. "And that does sound like something he would say."
Piandao pulls back and beams. "So we are agreed then," he declares.
Jun raises one eyebrow. "Agreed on what?"
"Rather than killing each other, we shall get to know each other instead. Perhaps we shall find something more… pleasant to pass the time."
She looks amused. "I don't remember agreeing to this."
He smiles. That is not a no.
"You did," he assures her, lowering his sword and offering her a gallant arm to escort her from his bed chamber and out into the courtyard. "I heard you."
She looks up at him, all silky hair and moon-lit skin and those bright, bright red lips that quirk at the corners as she says, "I believe you."
A/N: The Crack Couple That Could (the First). I've never written Jun/Piandao before, but I think I probably will in the future because they are unspeakably delightful.
Happy Birthday, Blue!