1.

While it took Asami by surprise, she hadn't been wholly unprepared for it. Korra was an attractive young woman with a crooked grin and rippling biceps whose purpose in life was to travel the world to keep the peace. That would inevitably bring her into contact with fascinating figures even a brilliant heiress couldn't hold a candle to. Even when she wasn't recognized as the Avatar, people were drawn to Korra's confident nature and boisterous laugh, blue eyes gleaming as if two lanterns were lit behind her irises. Asami knew very well the charm Korra exuded, like charged magnets helpless to resist her pull.

"This isn't a library, lady." A disgruntled voice sounded out from behind the newspaper stand.

"I'm sorry?" Asami's head snapped up, emerald eyes widened in momentary confusion.

The vendor nodded at the paper crinkled between her hands, long and slender fingers threatening to rip apart the edges. "No sampling the merchandise. You want it or not? I don't got all day."

"Oh - um - " Asami glanced down again at the picture of Korra, grinning from ear to ear while the fire nation's youngest princess had her arms slung around the Avatar's shoulders and her rouge lips planted on Korra's cheek.

Well, the picture was only in black and white, but Asami could imagine the daring streak of red slashed across the princess' pouty lips, staining the bronze skin like a lingering scar, marking territory the insufferable aristocrat had no right to mark.

"Two yuans!" The vendor finally snapped, impatient, glaring at Asami until her eyes refocused and rather sheepishly reached into her change purse and drew out the coins.

Turning her back on the stand, Asami crumpled the paper in her hands and continued her path through the streets of Republic City, the looming buildings providing minimal resistance against the cold winds blowing through the gloomy metropolis. She listened as the vendor behind her resumed his grumbling, frantically attempting to weigh his newspapers down lest they blow away. Asami privately wished him luck before turning the corner. A thousand pictures of Korra painting the sidewalk and whipping through the air was the last thing she needed to see.

A garbage can wobbled on the corner. Asami clenched the paper tighter but couldn't bring herself to chuck it away. She continued on towards the docks where her factory waited, a comparatively small investment where she worked alone on a new idea for a boat that purified polluted water as it sped across the bay. While she and Varrick were still occasionally called on to partner up for the good of the city, it couldn't hurt to give his shipping conglomerate some healthy competition.

And, she'd intended it as a gift for Korra, who still showed little interest in learning how to drive a satomobile but displayed some mastery with sailing boats.

"Mornin', Miss Sato." The guard at the gate waved her through, his gruff voice nearly lost in the wind and hard flap of his jacket collar.

Silk Road Bridge was shrouded in cloud, held suspended above the water, the black cables and golden peaks illuminated by passing headlights. Asami walked through the wind and encroaching fog, hugging her arms around herself, paper crinkled against her breast, listening to the early morning commuters rumble and chug along in the distance.

Taking out her key, Asami finally reached the small warehouse factory, crouching in front of the door and unlocking the heavy chains wrapped around and linked through the door handles. While its outside appearance showed little divergence from its neighboring warehouses, Asami had renovated the inside to provide herself with a little touch of home.

The sloped ceiling immediately flared with light, the tinted glass simultaneously illuminating the factory and revealing the morning sky drenched with fog. Nobody could look in but Asami could glance up and make out the bridge in the distance, and the occasional blimp passing through the sky.

Unwrapping her coat, the faux fur brushing against her chin, Asami hung it up on the antique coat rack settled beside the door, and dropped the rolled up newspaper on one of the work desks already covered with various blueprints. She unearthed a coffee mug filled with pencils and glanced around for the coffee press Pema had gifted her.

A web of pictures were strung from one end of the room to the other, intersecting in the air, flapping slightly from the mild draft that had blown in with Asami's entrance. She crossed the room and ducked beneath the black string and photographs, climbing down the steps to the second level which was oval shaped and centered in the middle of the room. Flooded with chlorine water, it was given just enough space for the model boat gently rocking in its midst, wooden and grey, incomplete and imperfect but Asami smiled and gently rested her palm on the cold hull, as if greeting a timid friend.

The name Raava was already carved on the side. The photographs above showed different ideas of how the final model would look like, carefully tinted with color.

"You ready to get started, girl?" Asami smiled, her voice echoing in soft whispers bouncing against the walls. "Just let me get my coffee."

Soon enough, the beans were grinded and boiling in the press, their scent spreading through the warehouse, skimming the polished concrete floor strewn with fire nation carpets and stacks of books. Asami inhaled the pleasant aroma before seating herself on the steps leading down to the boat, rolling up her sleeves and dragging Raava closer, inspecting how much damage the wood had endured from being left in the water all night.

"Not bad, girl." She praised her pet project, stroking the carved letters before reaching for her tools.

The next few hours were filled with sounds of her tinkering, mild grunts warming the inventor's throat as she struggled to bend a metal plate to her will, resizing it several times with a grinder until it roughly fit against the bow. It had started to rain, fat droplets splashing the ceiling, rolling slowly down the sides of the factory. The bridge shone with greater consistency, traffic building up on the road, headlights blinking with rising impatience. Sirens rose and faded as accidents started sprouting throughout the city.

Asami wiped her brow against her sleeve and wiped the strange viscous fluid off her hands with a damp towel, a dark substance that could hopefully replace oil. Needing a temporary distraction, she poured another cup of coffee and switched on the radio, twisting the dial until something abruptly caught her attention.

" - great to be back." Korra's voice crinkled with momentary static, flooding the room and striking Asami's chest like a well timed water bending blow. "Thanks for having me."

"Always happy to have the Avatar come on our show! How long are you planning to stay in Republic City for?"

"Not as long as I would like. There's still a lot of rebuilding to be done in the Earth Kingdom. But I'm glad to have made it in time for the festival."

The radio host's voice turned sly. "You're here escorting Princess Rina, correct?"

"Yeah, she's excited to be here too. She's never been to Republic City before."

"Too bad she had to come on such a miserable day. Maybe you can airbend a few clouds and warm up our fair city?"

Korra chuckled. "You know, I'll see what I can do."

"So you've been on something of a world tour recently. How did you like the Fire Nation? What brought you there in the first place?"

"Well, I only really saw the capital. It was great, I really enjoyed myself, and the royal family was very welcoming to me."

"Ha, oh we can imagine, Avatar Korra." A pre-recorded track of exaggerated kissing noises played beneath the station's live laughter.

"Uh… yeah…" Korra's words seemed to stall for a moment. "Anyway, I was just there to help negotiate supplies that the Earth Kingdom needs. Everything worked out fine."

"Well, that's great to hear…"

The station found a neat segue in order to plug their featured sponsor, and Asami turned down the volume, lower and lower until it was finally mute, something twisting in her gut that made it a little difficult to breathe.

Streams of early morning white light poked through the clouds like splinters dangling out of wood. The bridge seemed to wobble in the distance, threatening to buckle beneath the weight of too many vehicles, black cables stretched taut. The ocean crashed with mild ferocity against the docks, splashing into the sewer, the color green and sickly, putrid smells rising with the hidden sun. Asami pulled out some incense candles and lit them around the warehouse, inhaling the cedarwood scent. Some of her tension began to ease, her shoulders slumping down, the lines deepening her pale face smoothing over.

Returning to the boat, she lost herself in her work, laboring over a gift she might never have the chance to give. The hours passed without her notice until the afternoon sun broke through the clouds in a sudden burst of gold and bronze light bouncing off the bridge and spilling through the ceiling.

Nearly blinded, Asami shielded her eyes and missed the shadow dropping from the clouds and landing on the bridge.

Her telephone suddenly rang, diverting her attention from the unexpected change in weather. "Hello?"

"Asami! Did you hear? Korra's back!"

"Hey, Bolin." Despite her low spirits, and distaste for the obvious direction their conversation was heading, Asami couldn't resist a small smile in reaction to hearing her friend's voice.

"I've already reserved us a booth at Narook's for eight o'clock. I figure we can all meet there and then head out for the fire festival after. You'll be there, right?"

Asami shrugged up her shoulder in order to squish the phone between her neck and ear, reaching for a pad of paper to scribble down the details. "You've already talked with Korra about this?"

"No, but Mako's on his way to see her right now. I guess Wu really liked him and talked about him so much so now every time there's royalty in town, they ask Mako to be added to their security detail."

"You're talking about Princess Rina." Asami's voice turned flat. "And Korra is still with her."

"Well, yeah, I mean - they're about to be family."

Her heart stuttered. "W-what?"

"You didn't hear about the engagement?"

"I… I did not." Her tongue felt dry, resting heavy in her mouth, requiring greater force than usual to lift it up and help its owner form words. "When did… did she… Korra told you this?"

"No, you know how bad Korra is at writing letters. I didn't hear anything about it until I caught the end of her radio interview this morning. I didn't even know Korra was going to be back home today."

"Neither did I."

"But she finally is and that's what's important! So! See you at eight?"

Asami heard herself reply, and rested the telephone back in its cradle, her long fingers clenched around the cool metal.

The newspaper was still resting on the table near the warehouse doorway, creased and ripped at the corners, but Korra's bright eyes and wide smile remained intact. Asami smoothed the paper out, her hands a little wet, damp ink streaking across the photograph and smudging a kiss that apparently signified more than the casual fling Asami had originally taken it for.

And then - there it was, something else she'd failed to notice. Wrapped around the princess' neck and only partially veiled by the black tendrils of hair curling over her shoulders. Though the intricate design was too blurred to fully make out, it was clear to those who knew of water tribe rituals.

Korra had given the princess a betrothal necklace.

Korra was engaged.

Korra was getting married.

And, for the second time in her life, Asami's world had gone up in flames.

2.

"Can I help you, sir?"

Although he'd come a long way from the streets, curling up around his little brother in an effort to shield him from the cold and potential attackers, the two of them routinely woken up by a vicious kick to the ribs by officers or oblivious little old ladies dumping their waste out the alley windows, Mako knew his social mobility probably wouldn't go farther than where he was standing now.

Despite the fact that he was clean shaven, standing straight, and smelled nice (courtesy of the heaps and heaps of expensive bottled cologne Prince Wu insisted on sending him), something about the young detective apparently indicated he didn't belong in such a prestigious establishment as the Four Elements.

Maybe it was because there was always a hesitation in his step right before crossing any divide of class lines. His amber eyes flickered with anxiety, even as his jaw tightened and hands flexed with subtle heat. His entire body bristled with the anticipation of being insulted and degraded and wouldn't calm down until he was back in his own territory and safe.

The only exceptions were when he had his friends by his side; Bolin's good humor charming the room, Asami's soft palm cradled in his own, or Korra's challenging smirk just daring anyone to mess with her. To an extent, he was also fairly comfortable with Wu, whose personality was too aggravating a distraction for Mako to feel inferior by the prince's status and wealth.

But he didn't have his friends now. He stood awkwardly in the hotel lobby, scanning the ground floor, clearly distinguished by the hotel staff from the rest of the afternoon crowd due to him not being a celebrity, royal or important government official.

"Are you lost, sir?" A hotel clerk tapped his shoulder again, startling Mako from behind.

"Uh, no." Mako turned around and ignored the distaste curling the older man's lip, as if simply touching the boy had been a particularly arduous event. "I'm looking for Princess Rina? Or, someone who works for her?"

"No reporters."

"I'm not a reporter."

"No gigolos either."

"I am not - " Mako's face colored. "Look, I was told that the princess wanted to see me. Can you just phone her room and tell her I arrived?"

"With all due respect, sir, we don't bother our guests for just any common vagrant wandering into our midst." The hotel clerk gave a tiny smirk. "Not to imply - "

Mako flashed his badge, irritated, and watched the older man's lips thin into a straight line.

"Wait here, please."

Tucking his badge back inside his shirt pocket, Mako crossed his arms and watched the clerk return behind the front desk, calling out for one of the switchboard operators to connect him to the Presidential Suite.

Several stories up, Korra wavered from her position on the balcony, her knees bent in anticipation of leaping off and taking flight.

"Rina! The phone!" She called out, twisting around and hopping off the edge, padding back inside the suite.

The persistent jingle resonated through the entire floor, all five conjoined rooms temporarily redecorated according to the princess' specifications prior to their arrival.

Most of the furniture consisted of white cushions lined with gold, couches and loveseats creating a nice spacial perimeter around the radio Rina liked to listen to, cajoling Korra to help her reenact the bending moves the arena announcer described to them. As a result, there were scorch marks on the walls, stuffing coming out of the furniture, and the fancy curtains were in tatters.

Some of the damage was hidden though. Paintings of the royal family hung across the walls, joined by posters of Rina's favorite pro-bending teams, and a cheap caricature of Avatar Roku racing his dragon against Fire Lord Zuko's that both she and Korra had been delighted to find in one of the parks in the fire nation's capital.

There were also tons of mirrors, not only to serve Rina's vanity, the princess insisted, but because they helped capture the light. And the room did seem to vibrate under the gaze of an afternoon sun, orange flames seeping in like the crash of a fiery wave.

"Rina?" Korra called out again, and was answered the second time, the princess' voice slightly muffled from inside the bathroom.

"Do you mind answering for me, darling? I'll only be a minute!"

"Kay!"

Lush white carpets covered the living room and bedrooms, as soft as Naga's fur, soothing Korra's bare feet as she crossed over towards the phone.

Even that small detail had been seen to; the phone now painted a bright red, golden swirls adorning the metal. It was such a ridiculous demand to make, but Korra found herself, as usual, amused by how Rina successfully managed to shape the world to her likening. It was harmless, if bratty and inconvenient for others at times.

"Hello?"

"This is the front desk calling for her highness, Princess Rina?"

"She can't come to the phone right now." Korra shifted her weight from one foot to the other, enjoying the soft caress of the carpet against the calloused soles of her feet.

"I see - well, there's a young man here claiming the princess requested his presence."

"Who is he?"

"His badge says Officer Mako, ma'am."

Korra immediately lit up, blue gaze brighter. "Dark hair? Golden eyes? Upbeat personality?"

"Actually, he's more of a surly looking fellow. He hasn't stopped glaring since he got here. He's making our other patrons extremely nervous."

"That's definitely him, then." Korra grinned to herself.

"Shall I send him upstairs now, ma'am?"

"Let me talk to him first."

Downstairs, in the lobby, Mako glanced up to find the hotel clerk waving him over towards the front desk, and promptly handed over the phone with a huff of indignation.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mako!"

"Korra!" Mako could practically feel the smile in his ex-girlfriend's voice, inspiring a small spread of his own thin lips.

"It's great to hear your voice again. How did you know where I was staying?"

"Actually, I didn't. Beifong told me I was going to be on the princess' security detail while she's in the city. I guess the rumors about you two are true."

"Rumors?"

"There was an article in the paper. And Bolin said he heard about the engagement on the radio this morning. Did you really have to fight a dragon for her?"

"Let's just say, Fire Lord Izumi wasn't the biggest fan of Rina deciding to marry outside the nation."

Mako shook his head in disbelief, ignoring the impatient glare the hotel clerk was giving him. "So, when did you get back?"

"A… couple days ago, actually." Her voice turned sheepish. "I'm sorry I didn't contact any of you, but Rina wanted to lay low, so as far as anybody knows we just got in this morning."

"Huh." Mako lowered the phone from his mouth, frowning at the polished wood of the front desk, before lifting it back again. "So, should I come up now?"

"Um… yeah - yes, come on up. I'm actually on my way out though, so… do you have time to meet later tonight? At the festival? There's actually something I really need to talk to you about."

"Bolin got us a booth at Narook's. Eight o'clock. He hoped you'd come."

"Perfect." Her voice wavered. "Um… and Asami…?"

His forehead creased. "What about Asami?"

"Is she gonna be there too?"

"Of course she will. We're a team. Nothing's gonna change that, right?"

He could feel her smile again through the phone. "Right."

The hotel clerk leaned across the desk, strumming his fingers with increasing impatience. Mako matched his gaze and handed the phone over after exchanging a quick goodbye with Korra.

"Ma'am?"

"One sec - " Korra lowered the phone on the table, and rested her glider staff against the wall before heading towards the bathroom, pushing open the door without thinking.

"What, we don't knock anymore?" Rina smiled over her shoulder at the Avatar, evenly tanned skin appearing to shimmer in the light, in the midst of stepping out of the bathtub onto the marble floor. Water slid off her skin in slow droplets that sizzled and dissipated into steam, keeping her warm despite her nudity. Their eyes met when the princess slightly turned, her modesty preserved by the curve of her hip and the lucky strands of raven hair gently cascading across her perky breasts.

Korra immediately blushed, mumbling an apology and preparing to back out when Rina's laugh beckoned her to stay. "Sorry - it's just - that was the front desk. My friend Mako's here. I guess your mom wanted him on your security team?"

"I cannot fathom why." Rina stepped forward, her smile turning slightly shy. "There's no greater safeguard against danger than the mighty Avatar."

The balcony windows were still open, wind coursing through the living room, through the entire suite, gushing into the bathroom. Also, the princess had just gotten out of a bath. All this explained why her nipples had stiffened, though perhaps not why Korra's gaze briefly lingered on them, averting her eyes a guilty moment later.

"I can't always be there for you."

"I know, you have responsibilities." Rina hesitated, clearly wanting to say more, but relented at the pleading look Korra gave her. "As do I. So - shoo, darling, let me get dressed."

"Alright, um, I'll be back in time to escort you to the festival. There's a few more dark clouds I should try to clear away if we want tonight to go off without a hitch."

"Have fun, darling."

Korra shut the door to the bathroom behind her, gathering her glider staff and hopping back atop the balcony edge, the orange sun slightly marred by strips of dark cloud passing through it. Her attention wasn't on that though, her gaze slightly lowered, surveying the city skyline, now fully recovered from Kuvira's attack.

One building stood out from all the rest, despite the fact that it was too far away for Korra to actually see it with her eyes.

She closed them, and bent her knees, and readied her staff, holding it above her head. There was a shift in the wind and she seized her chance, leaping off the balcony and falling down the side of the hotel, the ground rushing up to meet her.

A spike of energy shot through her, and Korra burst forward in the air, her glider flaring open, twisting away from the ground and soaring through high story buildings, following the trail that led to that one, particular building.

The crowd beneath her roared with excitement upon seeing her, carrying her through the busy city streets.

Her heart jumped in her throat, and it was a nice feeling, the steady rise and fall that carried her across the bridge, over the water.

She wondered if Asami would be just as excited to see her.

3.

"Korra!"

A wild grin flared across Bolin's face, his booming voice uplifted by the crowd, all of downtown pausing their daily afternoon routines to point towards the sky and call out for the shadow swerving around the skyscrapers and protruding spirit vines entangled around the metropolis.

"Mommy! Mommy! Look! It's the Avatar!"

"There's Korra!"

"Avatar Korra!"

Squinting through the sun's glare, emerald eyes tracked the Avatar's path towards the bridge, across Yue Bay, over the docks and warehouses before her shadow was swallowed up by the city. Bolin chuckled at how excited Pabu clearly was, the fire ferret's tongue flicking against his ear in rapid succession, chattering about Korra in his melodic language of chirps and soft cooing.

"I know, buddy, I'm happy she's home too." Bolin resumed walking towards the train station, his fire ferret settled around his neck and shoulders in place of a scarf.

Things had really calmed down for Team Avatar since Kuvira's attack on the city two years ago. Korra and Asami had returned from their Spirit World adventure in a weird mood, both their smiles strained, and avoiding the other's gaze.

Bolin had offered himself as a shoulder to cry on, for both ladies, figuring that either one or both had encountered a dead friend or family member, most likely Hiroshi Sato, but Korra had dismissed the offer with an awkward laugh and friendly punch on the shoulder. Asami had kissed his cheek and ruffled his hair, telling him not to worry, she was fine.

Then, Korra left on her never-ending world tour, stopping by in Republic City every so often as a respite from her official Avatar duties. Usually she radioed Bolin from Air Temple Island that she was back but this wasn't the first time he'd discovered her presence through more indirect means. He didn't hold it against her, she was busy, they all were, what was important was that they made time for each other when they could.

Turning a corner, Bolin was forced to inhale the exhaust fumes of a slowly chugging trolley car, thick black smoke fanning through the air, a nauseating brimstone stench clinging to his sweaty clothes, his muscles sore from morning lavabending training. Pabu chittered in his ear before licking the sweat from his brow and brushing his paw against Bolin's eyes, trying to rub out any specks of debris.

"Hey, Bolin!"

His vision momentarily impaired, Bolin nevertheless recognized the man slinking just beside him. His voice usually contributed to a painful twist in his gut.

"Hey, Shady Shin." Pabu scrambled atop his head and growled as best a fire ferret could, digging his claws into Bolin's scalp. "Ouch, ease up, buddy."

"Got a minute for an old friend?" Shady Shin looked the same as ever, a slow spreading grin and an easy gait; like a shark gliding beside the shoreline, its belly scraping against the soft sand.

"Uh, actually I'm kinda late for a meeting with - "

"The Avatar?"

Bolin took note of the calculating gleam in the older man's eyes, and the eagerness of his tone. "Nope."

"Ah, well, where you headed?"

"The former Fire Nation councilwoman asked me to meet her at City Hall." Bolin gave a half shrug at Shady Shin's quirked eyebrow. "Not sure why."

The gang member let out a low whistle. "You've come a long way from that skinny little orphan boy I saved from the streets, kiddo."

"Well, I've saved the world a few times, dated a psychotic princess, mastered a rare form of earthbending even my potential grandmother-in-law hasn't accomplished, aaaand I'm known far and wide as both a pro-bending champion and the world's first ever mover star…" Bolin cracked his knuckles and grinned up at Pabu. "...buuuut I'm still the same modest, humble boy I've always been, Shin."

Shady Shin clapped him on the back, openly amused by Bolin's list of accomplishments. "Why be modest? I always saw great things in you, kid! It's precisely why I've been wanting to talk. I got a little proposition."

They crossed the street together without glancing up at the light, carriages and satomobiles swerving out of their way as they chatted. Shady Shin's arm was slung across Bolin's shoulders, ignoring the hissing fire ferret still perched atop his master's head.

"I hear your girl's been knocking doors down, asking questions about some old Agni Kai guys."

"My girl?" Bolin's forehead creased. "Opal?"

"Nah, man, the Avatar. I hear she's been roughing up a whole bunch of them, trying to shake them for information about something that happened almost… twenty years ago."

"Twenty years… wait, when did this happen? Korra just got into town."

They rounded another corner, City Hall emerging into view from the other side of the park, the marble statue of his best friend gleaming in the afternoon sun.

Shady Shin cocked his head to one side, his lips thinning into a speculative frown. "That's what most of the public believes but not what I hear underground. She's been asking questions for a couple days now."

Bolin blinked at him, and took a breath, intending to argue the point, but at the last second let it go. "Why are you bringing this up?"

"Because twenty years ago the Triple Threats were just starting out, trying to make a name for ourselves. A lot of that had to do with forming relationships with the other gangs, and trying to tempt some of their members to our side. You know I've always had a thing for names, Bolin, and I never forget a face."

"You know who Korra's looking for?"

Shady Shin shook his head. "I haven't heard enough to guess who she's looking for specifically, but I do remember the entire roster of Agni Kai guys from since I was a kid. Well, the important ones at least. You tell the Avatar that Shady Shin is more than willing to help her out… if she gives me my bending back."

They paused at the entrance to the park. Not entirely unsympathetically, Bolin shrugged off Shady Shin's arm and took a step back, Pabu crawling off his head and perching on his shoulder. "I'll pass along your message, but I don't think she'll go for it. No offense, but Korra has more important things to do than help a bunch of mobsters."

"Well, that brings us to my other little proposition." Blue eyes flashed brighter in his eagerness to win Bolin over. "Between you and me, some of us Triple Threats are thinking of going on the straight and narrow. Most of us never wanted to be criminals. We just wanted protection, a family we could actually count on, and just enough power between us so no one could… well, you know all the reasons you joined us too."

"Mako and I didn't have a choice." Bolin protested, green eyes widening in slight distress, his voice slightly shrill.

"C'mon, Bolin, you're not a little kid anymore. Everyone has a choice. You and your brother made the right one. What do you think would have happened to you guys if the Threats hadn't taken you in?"

Pabu chittered out an angry response, but Bolin only sighed, not answering. Logically, he knew the Triple Threats had only ever exploited his and Mako's talents, but he still couldn't help feeling indebted.

"What we did for you kids? We wanna do for our territory. Protect it, you know? Patrol the streets and make sure everyone's getting along."

"Um, isn't that what the police are for?"

"The police don't care about the little man. They protect these kind of people." Shin waved his hand at the pedestrians flowing in and out of the park; young couples pushing strollers, businessmen whistling for a cab, giggling private-schoolchildren playing tag, Fire sages greeting one another and smoking pipes, the sunshine gleaming in their glossy hair and well pressed robes.

"Okay, but the triads extort - "

"On my mother's watery grave, I swear that's nearly done and over with."

"How are you guys gonna profit from not stealing?"

"We've made a few investments that ought to tide us over. Bottom line, we want to help the community, protect our territory, and a powerful lavabender would be a great asset to the team!"

Bolin offered a half smile in response, but shook his head. "I'm glad you guys are trying to be better, but you know I can't join you."

"Why not?" Shady Shin ran his eyes up and down the younger man, a sensation that always left Bolin feeling as if he'd just been exposed and dissected. "I couldn't help noticing that in your list of accomplishments, they all take place in the past. What's keeping you busy these days, Bolin?"

"Lots of stuff."

"Yeah? Like what?"

"I'm - I - sometimes - "

Sometimes he popped by Varrick Global Industries to hang around his favorite married couple, amused by their dynamic and soaking up the confusing scientific lingo that flowed between them within the lab. Oftentimes he was a prop in their experiments, walking out of the building with a slight limp and electricity still crackling between strands of his hair.

Sometimes he escorted Asami to important functions and fundraisers and high society events. He wasn't really clear on why she could never get an actual date (after all she was awesome and gorgeous and a genius and helped save the city) but was happy to hang out with a friend, especially since Opal was usually off with the airbenders and he had a lot of free nights.

Being close friends with two generous billionaires, and being famous for a variety of feats, made it easy to forget that Bolin was technically almost completely out of money. He was five months behind on rent; a fact that both he and his landlord had only just discovered, now that Mr. Mori was no longer quite as enthralled with Bolin as he was when the mover star first moved into the penthouse apartment.

If it were only a matter of just getting a job, then he would have returned to the pro-bending arena or accepted Asami's offer of working security at Future Industries or signed the contract pledging himself to more Nuktuk films.

But Bolin wanted a true purpose in life, something that fulfilled him the way he was when fighting alongside the Avatar or working beneath Kuvira.

"I - I keep busy." Bolin finally spluttered out, struggling with his poker face. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go."

The sun was beginning to drop behind the park, the tree tops illuminated in a bright, orange glow.

Shady Shin lifted his hands in surrender, a small smirk still teasing the thin line of his lips. "Offer's still on the table, Bolin. You'll tell the Avatar what I said, yeah? Whatever information she wants, I got, so long as she gives me back my bending."

4.

The sun began to set behind the bridge, casting the ocean in a brilliant hue of gold, the color spilling across shadows of skyscrapers looming above the city.

In preparation for the festival, police officers were being dispatched on the corner of every city block where the parade would soon be passing through. The floats were primed and ready, resting in Avatar Korra Park. Banners were strung up and held suspended above the concrete streets, some featuring the Fire Nation insignia, others depicting the solemn faces of popular Fire Lords or grinning Avatars. Families were camped out on rooftops, warming their hands around fire pits, roasting meat and laughing over stories, droplets of alcohol spraying over the sides of residential buildings.

Asami shoved her fists inside her coat pockets, skin prickling in discomfort as she kept bumping into people while trying to make her way back to the apartment, the city streets thickening with activity and tense anticipation.

While Fire Nation immigrants and descendants had never been explicitly forbidden from celebrating their ethnic heritage, their cultural center had previously always passed on the opportunity to publicly celebrate the beloved Fire Days Festival out of fear that any show of pride would come across as insensitive in the wake of the Hundred Year War.

It was a bit disconcerting for some pedestrians traversing the downtown area to see it taken over by street performers juggling fireballs, a chorus of school children being led in a traditional Fire Nation hymn, boisterous athletes racing around with spirit masks, grown men howling in pain while their friends and families keeled over laughing at the sight of them attempting to win a flaming fire flakes contest.

Ducking a bobbing lantern, the beginnings of a parade march about to take place, Asami neared her apartment building and raised her hand in greeting towards the doorman whose eyes always crinkled up when he smiled.

"Hey, Miss Sato!" He seemed excited about something, straightening his uniform with two quick tugs on the ends of his jacket.

"Bao." She greeted him politely, passing through the door he quickly pushed open for her, taking out her mailbox key and reached in for the stacks of magazines she subscribed to. It was a healthy mix of scientific breakthroughs and revolutionary fashion. Gathering them up in her arms, she was mildly surprised when the doorman abandoned his post to follow her inside, beaming as he got the elevator for her, dragging the gate open and making to step inside with her.

Asami granted him a confused smile. "Ah…?"

"Oh," Bao paused mid-step, still brimming with some excitement. "I thought you might need someone to help you into your apartment. Open the door?"

"I'm fine, thanks." Asami arched a dark brow and waited for the doorman to sheepishly step back, closing the gate and the door to the elevator. She shook her head in bemusement, unsure if that was his weird and out of the blue attempt to hit on her, and punched in the penthouse button.

When the elevator rose to the tenth floor of the skyscraper, the light flooded through the windows carved into the box, the top half of the building providing Asami with a view as she continued to rise. Though she still had the mansion on the outskirts of the city, she found the massive estate far too quiet. She preferred her solitude to be accompanied by the hustle and bustle of the sleepless metropolis. She pressed her forehead against the small oval window, the light of a dying sun combing through her raven hair, she could almost feel the heat seeping across her scalp.

The elevator came to a halt, its passenger gently swaying before her body steadied. Balancing the stack of magazines in one arm, Asami drew open the gate and pushed open the elevator door which opened immediately into the penthouse foyer. Her low heels clicked on the small marble steps, and the main door creaked open, more of the dying sunlight spilling into the open suite than the young woman's eyes could briefly handle. There were spots of shadow though, where her gaze jumped to for relief; the tall bonsai trees placed in almost every corner of the apartment, a human figure partially hidden beneath the shade of a large leaf.

Asami didn't think to scream, or run away, or even contemplate fear. There was a spark of indignation, and then a full blown avalanche of rage propelling her forward, the stack of magazines slipping from her arms, each page slapping the floor.

The figure turned, startled by the war cry, and Asami barely had time to register the familiar shade of bright blue eyes before a gust of wind was skirting around her body, and she was lurching forward into nothing but solid wall, the bump of her nose brushing against it when suddenly there was a rock hard arm wrapped around her waistline, and heated breath on the nape of her neck.

"Sami, it's me."

Her body went to war; muscles loosening, going lax in the Avatar's arms, while her heart pounded violently against her chest, breath quickening. When the avatar seemed to trust she wasn't about to attack, the arms around her waist relented, and Asami turned around.

"Korra."

A blindingly white grin shone on the heiress' glittering black gaze, like moonlight scraping the night sky. "Hey."

There was a brief pause, the air between them still. And then they were both colliding in a hug, the shorter Avatar burrowing her face in jasmine scented tresses, inhaling her best friend's comforting fragrance. Asami's arms tightened around Korra's broad shoulders, heart rate accelerating, thudding between her ears and at the base of her throat, she could not imagine Korra would be unable to hear it.

"You're a lot softer than your statue…" Asami mumbled into her friend's neck, cheeks immediately tinting pink when her brain registered the admission.

"Huh?"

"Nothing!" Asami pulled away, clearing her throat and plastering on a rather watery smile. "It's so good to see you, I thought we were meeting at Narook's though."

Korra followed the young CEO into the kitchen, smiling when Asami gently stepped out of her heels and began to fix them both cups of tea, the height difference between them no longer quite as stark. "Bolin tried to reach you and then asked me to just fly over here, we're postponing until tomorrow."

Occupying herself with the kettle, Asami worked to find legitimate excuses around the kitchen to avoid her friend's eyes. "How disappointing. There's nothing wrong, I hope."

"Just official duties got in the way." Korra waved her hand. "Nothing to worry about."

"Official like… royal?"

Korra hesitated, leaning against the kitchen archway, watching the tall brunette ruminate on which tea bags they ought to indulge. "Yes."

The confirmation was deafening. For a moment, Asami was horrified to feel there were tears on her cheeks… only to exhale in relief when she realized it was just steam from the boiling water. "Well," She said. "That makes sense. I certainly can't blame you for wanting to spend the festival with a princess of all things."

Korra released a breath tinged with laughter. "Sami, you're one of the richest people in the world, and I'm the freakin' Avatar. Royal titles don't impress me much."

"A pretty face does." Asami muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing." The kettle shook, carved into the shape of a dragon, steam shooting out through the nostrils. Asami bent down and blew out the flames.

They relocated deeper into the apartment, where the large windows looked out onto the darkening skyline of Republic City. Each room in the suite was separated by fusuma, the wooden doors sliding open to allow the air to flow. Asami and Korra sat opposite one another on the floor pillows, their side profiles illuminated by the dying sun bleeding into the room.

They fell quiet for a few moments, save for the gentle drill of Asami's nails against the side of her teacup. She watched the Avatar sip from her own, always averting her gaze when Korra looked up over the rim.

An exaggerated mmmmm-hmmmmm finally broke the silence, Korra draining her tea much too quickly, cheeks puffing out as she filled her face with it. A decidedly unladylike snort exited Asami's nostrils.

"Whuh?" Korra's voice was a little muffled, literally trying to talk around the liquid sloshing around her tongue. "S'good!"

"I see that." Asami hadn't realized her shoulders were raised so high, until they were relaxing, slumping down to a natural level.

"You make really good tea. I've always thought so."

"I don't think anyone else appreciates my brew quite as much as you. Consequently, no one is in as much danger of choking."

"I am not going to choke." Korra stubbornly took a larger gulp of the slightly bitter concoction.

"What will the gossip rags say when they hear the Avatar found comatose in my apartment, brought down by a lungful of tea. Oh, come here." Asami set her cup down and crawled forward, green eyes the same shade as the tea leaf clinging to the bottom of her friend's pouty bottom lip.

Korra's bright blue eyes caught her own just as Asami's thumb brushed against the parted mouth, gently wiping the leaf from her friend's sweet stained lip. "The headlines would read Miss Sato is a hero."

A tiny shiver ran down Asami's back at the use of her surname. She'd never been quite sure if Korra understood what hearing that did to her. She thought she hid her reactions quite well. "For having you collapse on my floor?"

"For bringing me back." Korra's eye contact was steadfast, like the roll of an ocean wave steadily crawling towards the beach. "You do know how to resuscitate, don't you?"

It felt like the room was collectively holding its breath. Asami's lashes fluttered as the avatar leaned in closer, their noses gently bumping against one another. In the distance, musicians hired for the festival were starting their preliminary notes. Plucked strings and trilling songstresses stretching syllables that haunted the air, lingering in the dying light. It felt like a spell had been cast. Webbed traps binding the city in magic; silk chains wrapped them in music. It spilled into the apartment suite, it splashed against their dark hair and burning bright eyes.

Korra leaned forward, crossed legs unfurling, and made to close that last inch of distance between them. But the weight of small hands gave her pause, Asami pressing against her shoulders and leaning away from her in the space of a silent note.

"What would your princess think?" The heiress cracked a smile, trying to appear playful, but the words were as slightly bitter as the taste of her tea.

Korra fell back on her bottom, the spell broken. "She's not my - "

"The festival is almost starting. You ought not be late." Asami rose from the floor, cheeks tinted pink, like the blush of a rose. "She doesn't seem like a girl that likes to be kept waiting."

The Avatar rose with her, raising a hand to try and touch the taller woman's shoulder. "Asami, she and I - "

"Korra, it's fine!" There was a whip of lengthy, ink black locks as the inventor strode towards the balcony, inhaling the air, scented now with the fried delicacies wafting up from the food carts rolling through the darkening streets. Floating lanterns had been set loose throughout the districts, and were bobbing in the air. One of them was rising the length of her apartment building, slowly gliding towards the sky, its amber luminescence catching them in the act.

Asami turned its back to it, biting her lip as she looked upon her friend, blue eyes stricken with a mixture of emotions she couldn't unpack. "You don't owe me an explanation."

Pausing, Korra deliberated on that as she entered the balcony as well, chewing on her own lip. "You're right," Her agreement was slow, chin pointing upwards. "You're the one who ended things, after all."

"Yes, I did." Asami's hands curled around the balcony edge behind her.

Korra sucked in her breath, chest puffing up beneath her tribal garments. "Is that why you're so bothered? Can't believe a princess would want to slum around with the likes of me?"

"You know I don't think that." She watched Korra grab for her staff which was leaning against the wall.

"Whatever, I have to go." With a snap of her wrist, the blue wings of her gliding staff were erect. Korra hopped up onto the ledge. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Korra, wait - " Asami's fingers brushed against the heavy skin of the tribal trousers, but the avatar was already diving off the balcony, the elements sweeping her up and pushing her forward. A deep, long dive into the darkness and narrow gaps of the glittering metropolis. A dark silhouette illuminated by flashes of amber lighting, the bobbing lanterns catching her in mid-flight, the roar of the crowd merging into the streets rising and falling depending on where they caught sight of the soaring guardian.

Asami was left alone on the balcony, her fingers still warm from where she'd made contact.


Next: What exactly happened between Korra and Asami?