The sky, with its billions of brilliant stars sparkling inside it, was reflected in Korra's azure eyes. She loved star gazing almost as much as training in the Arena. The Avatar, being locked up in that compound for so long, had never got many chances to gaze at the sky openly, especially at night. There was no time to spend staring at the clouds, the sages told her. Only training, training, oh yeah, and more training. Korra smiled, thinking of the special moments when she had escaped their crabby clutches. Laying down beside her loyal polar-bear dog, Naga, she would get lost in the way the night sky came to life before her eyes. The Southern Water Tribe had the most beautiful night sky in the world, nothing could compare, and it made the punishment for sneaking out bearable. But the array of dazzling lights in Republic City made up for the natural beauty it lacked.
Korra waited for a certain earthbender to meet her under the pavilion, not too far from the Arena. His curly dark chocolate hair and playful green eyes gave him the look of a dimpled child, trapped in a warrior's body. The Avatar met him when she snuck off to see a Pro-Bending match, not knowing that he was one of the fantabulous Bending Brothers. With his older sibling, a tall brooding firebender with an icy attitude, Korra's journey took an exciting turn. Now she's a part of their team, the Fire Ferrets, learning the new style of bending while making amazing friends along the way.
As the night air chilled, Korra slipped her thick parka over her head, wondering where her earthbender was. Anxiety seeped over her at the thought of him standing her up. Just the other night he had taken Korra out on her first ever 'date', and needless to say, she was worried he didn't like it. Her behavior wasn't exactly 'ladylike'. She had burped loudly with him as she dogged her noodles at the restaurant, almost got into a fight with their rival, and pretty much acted like a complete man the whole night. Korra sighed heavily and turned her eyes back to the sky. Maybe I'm just not likable, she thought helplessly.
The sound of light footsteps reached her ears, and a broad smile spread across the Avatar's face. She turned around eagerly, but her bright grin dropped when she saw who it was. Tall, lean build and a head full of cropped black hair, a burning topaz stare and a red scarf wrapped around his neck. Mako, Bolin's older brother, approached her with long strides.
"Hey Korra, I thought I could find you here", he said. He stopped in front of her, looking off to the side.
Korra gave him a puzzled look, her hands on her hips. "Why, do you need something?" she replied hesitantly. The waterbender hoped that whatever he was about to say wouldn't be what she was thinking.
Mako cut his eyes back to hers, the hesitancy confirming Korra's fears. "About what you said the other day-", he began.
Korra raised her hand, stopping him before he could repeat the past events. Mako had started dating the daughter of the Fire Ferret's sponsor, Asami Sato, and for a while Korra had been jealous. She had wondered if Mako had feelings for her before he started seeing Asami, and questioned him about it. In her haste Korra had over thought the feelings she had for Mako; for a long time Korra had a crush on the moody firebender. That was before Bolin had swept her off her feet, making her see her mistake in starting to like his brother. Now she hoped their friendship could remain the same.
"No need Mako, forget what I said. I was wrong, you and Asami look happy together. I wouldn't want to screw that up, regardless of how things were before she came into the picture", she said calmly.
Mako stated at her, confused by her behavior. Just a few days before she was demanding that he own up to his feelings, so passionate he thought she would burst. Looking at her now, Korra was the opposite; with a relaxed stance and steady voice as if she were speaking to Master Tenzin.
"But it seemed to me that, I don't know, that maybe you had a thing for me. What changed?" Mako asked.
Korra became thoughtful in her attempt to explain her feelings. "I realized that what I was feeling was just a spark of jealousy. I never liked sharing, and since I just got you as my friend, it felt like Asami was stealing you away", she began.
Korra couldn't believe how stupid and immature she sounded, but the truth was easier to explain than to lie. "But lately I've been spending my time elsewhere, training mostly, and hanging out with Bolin. And that distance has made me realize that I don't have deeper feelings for you. You're my friend Mako, nothing more, and I want you to be happy", she finished.
The avatar sighed before giving him her signature grin. Instantly Mako relaxed, releasing a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. It felt as if a weight had been shoved off his chest. "Oh okay, I'm glad you understand. I was beginning to think-", Mako started until a shout came from behind him.
He and Korra turned to see Bolin running up to the pavilion, a confused look on his face at the sight of his brother talking to Korra. He had told her to wait for him under the pavilion, but didn't expect to see Mako there with her. Hopefully nothing happened while I was gone, he thought, and quickened his run. Pabu, his adorable little fire ferret, was slung over his shoulder and a bouquet of pink flowers was in his hands. It had taken him a little longer to get the flowers, making him late for his rendezvous with the Avatar. Bolin was worried that she would go home without him giving her his gift. As he got closer Mako took a few steps away from Korra, his hand behind his neck awkwardly.
"Hey Bolin, I was just leaving. See ya around bro... Korra," he muttered before stalking off into the night.
Korra folded her arms around her torso, suddenly feeling colder under her parka. That was almost a disaster, she thought. Bolin tore his eyes off his brother's retreating figure and onto Korra's, worry etched on his face.
"I'm sorry I left you here in the cold. What did Mako want?" he asked her softly. Bolin watched as his newest infatuation shuffled in place, her furry boots scuffing the wood boards. She tucked a flyaway strand of chocolate hair behind her ear before looking up at him through her lashes, her blue eyes guarded.
"Nothing really. Just stopped by to say a few things about practices I've been missing," she said.
Korra prayed that he'd buy her horrible lie, drop the subject like a bad habit and move on. They seemed to stand there for an eternity, the tension thick as they looked into each other's eyes. Bolin knew from the way her voice quivered that she was lying, but seeing how she was acting he could tell she didn't want to deliberate. Maybe his brother could explain to him why the Avatar looked so anxious. Her blue eyes left his after a while and focused on the flowers, and her full lips turned up in smile as his face flushed red.
"Oh! These are for you. I was going to get panda lilies, but there weren't any left at the shop. And then I had to run all the way here because I lost track of time-," he rambled on.
Korra laughed softly and took the bouquet from his hands. She brought them up to her nose and sniffed, the aroma filling her nose with a sweet smell. "Bo, their beautiful. Thank you," she said with a genuine smile.
She forgot about the chilly wind as Bolin's eyes softened, turning into mossy orbs full of warmth. To Korra he was looking at her like she was just a girl, a girl he was starting to like, not the Avatar. And she was beginning to love those eyes of his. The earthbender's insides melted when Korra smiled at him. In moments like those he could forget that she was the bridge between the spirit world and the physical world. He could forget that he was a vagabond living above the Arena where he barely scratched up a living. In those moments he was only Bolin, a young man with a heart of gold. And she was Korra, a beautiful young woman that was completely attainable.
The deep cackle behind me brought shivers down my spine. Frozen in my bonds, I felt leather fingers yank my hair back, while my greatest fear stepped out of the darkness. Amon and his chi blockers deceived me, making me believe that he would face me with honor. Instead I fell right for their ambush at Memorial Island, unprepared and outsmarted. Now, completely vulnerable and alone, my foolishness rings clear in my heart.
"You thought, because of your task force's 'successful' raids, that you could beat me?" He asked, voice cold.
Amon was facing me now, bending low so his eyes could bore into mine. The mask he wore was barely illuminated by the flicker light of the temple torches, his eye sockets black depthless pits. I held my tongue, pride resurfacing above my fear, and I spit at his face. Immediately the red hot bolts of electricity jarred by body as the chi blockers shocked me, and despite my efforts, a scream erupts from my throat. I slump against Amon's hand, breathing hard, the hate I have for him festering in my chest.
"Haha, oh young Avatar, you are so full of pride. And arrogance. I won't kill you, your death will only make you a martyr. No, I have better plans for you," Amon promised darkly. He placed his thumb hard against my forehead, and a shadow enveloped the two of us in a gray mist. My body became numb, my last bit of energy fading in the darkness. As well as my bending.
Korra lurched forward, an earsplitting scream ringing throughout the Air Temple. Sweat clung to her skin and the sheets, which had wrapped around her limbs during her nightmare. Her blue eyes darted frantically around her room, recognizing familiar walls and furniture, and she relaxed slightly. "Only a dream," she whispered to herself.
Raising her hand up to her face, Korra took a deep breath and created a flickering red flame. Now her mind was truly at ease. Closing her hand into a tight fist, the fire died and darkness shrouded her once more. Thin streams of yellow sun cut through the closed shudders, the sounds of an already bustling city faintly reaching her ears. She plopped back down in her bed and shuddered. Her nightmares were becoming more frequent ever since she barely escaped Amon that night. He visited her in her dreams, when she closed her eyes to meditate with Tenzin, even at the Arena during training. But only tonight did he finally take her bending away. And that's what frightened Korra the most.
Sighing, the Avatar rose from her bed and stretched, feeling the tension in her muscles disappear. She made her way to her washroom, slumping over the sink and gazing at her reflection. Dark circles surrounded her dull cerulean eyes, and her face was a sickly green color. "Spirits, I look terrible," she muttered, before getting freshened up for her day. Tiptoeing out of her room, Korra escaped the watchful eyes of Pema and her children by slipping out the back doors of the Temple.
The sun peeked over the horizon as she walked the path down to the stables. The willow trees swayed in the morning breeze and birds sang from their branches. The White Lotus guards she crossed smiled kindly at the Avatar, and she couldn't help but grin back. Korra let the beauty of the morning lighten her mood as she swung open the doors of the stable. There, beside Tenzin's sky bison Oogi, was a giant white polar-bear dog. At the sight of her master her ears perked up, and her long pink tongue flopped out of her mouth. She quickly padded over to Korra, and proceeded to lap her face lovingly.
"Good morning Naga! Down girl, down. We have a long day ahead of us," Korra said gently. Pushing lightly with her hands, Korra freed herself from her friend's embrace. After feeding her, she saddled up Naga and walked her down to the ferry. Normally the waterbender would just swim the bay to Republic City, atop Naga's back or alone, but wasn't quite feeling up to it. Instead they boarded the passenger boat across Yue Bay, and into Republic City.
Korra reached the Arena in record time, Naga having ignored the street lights and stops signs. Leaving her energetic companion outside, the tanned girl made her way to the Arena's attic. There she would hope to find her newest friends and teammates, Mako and Bolin. They were brothers, original members of the Fire Ferrets, who lived in the attic of the Arena. Losing their parents in a mugging when they were very young, the two had been on the streets for most of their lives. Before entering pro-bending the brothers had worked for the most powerful gang in the city, the Triple Threat Triad. That had almost got them killed, so now they made an honest living as athletes. As Korra walked up the stairs she could hear their voices echoing through their door. And they were fighting. Again.
"Bolin, how could you have eaten all of the Fireflakes? You know that's all we can afford for the next week!" A raspy voice yelled angrily. Mako, thought Korra.
A whiney voice replied back, "why are you blaming me!? Pabu ate those flakes, not me! How can you expect me to eat all those things by myself?" And Bolin.
Korra let a real smile grace her face for the first time that morning before knocking on the door. They apparently hadn't heard, because they continued to scream at each other. Frustrated, Korra banged on the door until the wall shook. Instantly their voices hushed, and the door slowly creaked open. One emerald green eye peeped out, wide and full of playful mirth. Seeing who it was, Bolin swung the door open and pulled the Avatar inside.
"Good Mooorning! You're here extra early today! I thought you weren't a morning person," he exclaimed brightly.
Korra gave him a confused look before glancing at the clock above the stove. She was shocked to see that she was indeed a couple of hours early. Turning back to her friend, she noticed that he was still in his pajamas.
"I'm not. If you can believe it, I actually haven't noticed the time at all. I'm sorry if I disrupted you guy's routine or anything," she said with her hands in her pockets.
Bolin shot his brother a worried look before resting his strong arm on the Avatar's shoulders. The exhaustion was clear in her voice, and in her face. Bolin noticed the dark rings under eyes, and the hallowed look in her pale cheeks. Korra looked as if she hadn't gotten a lick of sleep, and that worried Bolin more than his brother's anger.
He led her over to their small couch, plopping down with her beside him. Pulling the Avatar closer into his chest, he felt his warmth flow into her cold frame and smiled when she snuggled up against him subconsciously. Korra felt ill early that morning, but as soon as the earthbender's arm was around her, the feeling vanished. Now all she felt was his warmth, and she settled herself closer to him on the couch. Mako had been standing by the kitchen, dressed in his PJ's as well. He now made his way to the stool in front of his brother and friend, a complacent look on his face.
He was still ticked about the Fireflakes.
"Don't worry about it Korra, me and Bo were just discussing a small issue," Mako said. He shot a glare his brother's way, who shrugged apologetically before turning his eyes back to the Avatar. "Any way, how are you keeping up with your airbending?" He added.
The young firebender watched as Korra's whole body folded into the couch, as if she wanted to be swallowed up by the cushions. And she wanted to very badly. No matter how hard she focused, Korra couldn't produce one little wisp of air. Tenzin's teachings never got through to her, especially his 'leaf' exercise. Failure wasn't something she was used to, and coupled with her fluke that night with Amon, not being able to airbend plagued her mind with anxiety.
"Sadly, not so good. I haven't made one bit of progress, and I've been meditating with Tenzin every day! I'm beginning to think I'll never airbend," Korra answered him bleakly.
Her defeated tone shocked the brothers, not used to her giving up. In fact, this instance was a first for them since meeting Korra. Bolin shook his head, a disbelieving look in his eye. "You sound like you're done trying! The Korra I know wouldn't let some silly airbending block get her down. Come on, you can't stop trying now," he urged.
His arm was still draped over her shoulder, its warmth comforting to the Avatar, as well as his words. Mako nodded, adding how she had already mastered the other three elements. Looking at them both, Korra thanked the Spirits for their part in her life. "You're right, I'll keep working on it. But right now, I kind of want to train with you guys. The White Lotus showed me some new moves yesterday that I want to show you two," Korra said, her voice getting back to its normal, booming sound. Seeing her mood change, the brothers hastily agreed before throwing on their clothes, and the three made their way to the training room.
Bolin watched in pure admiration as Korra performed amazing earthbending techniques. They were down in the training room now, a large space full of earth discs and jars full of water. A net hung from the ceiling down to the floor, and weights of all sizes were cluttered in one corner. Mako and Bolin stood against the wall while Korra performed for them in the center of the room. Bolin's eyes were glued to her form, awed by her skill.
Korra had her arms raised high, and several of the earth discs hovered in the air beside her. While staying light on her feet, she swung her right arm forward smoothly while flicking her left wrist. Half of the discs zoomed toward the net, but the other half had merged into one large disc. Taking swift steps, she altered her stance while bringing both arms back and forth in a jerking motion. The separate discs shattered into large chunks of rock while the larger disc soared through the debris toward the net. All of this happened in seconds.
Korra turned to her friends and grinned broadly from ear to ear. Bolin hooted and shouted, clapping his hands while Mako simply smirked. "That was awesome! And you just learned that move yesterday! Incredible, no, you're incredible," Bolin exclaimed. He watched with pleasure when a slight blush hinted her cheeks, and he smiled sweetly at her.
Korra could feel her face heat up at his praise. "Thanks! I was thinking that you could use that to distract one opponent while taking out the other. If you can get the second disc flying fast enough, you should confuse the other player," Korra hastily explained.
Mako put a hand on his chin in thought, picturing her plan in his mind. "That is a clever idea, but we won't really know for sure until we spar. You know, to gauge the reaction times," he said.
Korra felt a little deflated, but tried not to let it show on her face. "I gotcha," she answered. What does it take to impress this guy? She turned her blue eyes to Bolin, and caught him staring at her with this weird look in his eye. She waved her hand in front of his face, and laughed when he blushed profusely.
"So-rry Korra, blanked out for a sec. You wanna run some combos now? Mako, how about you?" he stammered. He sighed with relief when they both agreed, turning away get themselves ready. The young earthbender hadn't realized that he was staring at Korra. One moment she was talking and the next he was thinking how beautiful she was when she blushed. Thank the Spirits she didn't notice, he thought before joining his team at the net.
The Fire Ferrets spent the rest of that morning training, perfecting their movements until they were in complete sync with one another. By noon they were exhausted, but satisfied grins were plastered on their faces. Sweat gleamed on their brows while they gave each other playful nudges.
"That was great! I feel like we really got this teamwork thing down!" Korra said. She had never been that coordinated with them before, more controlled. If only her airbending could be that easy.
"I have to agree, it feels nice to be with the team right now. Especially after getting you back bro," Mako added sincerely.
Korra watched as Bolin became somber at his brother's words. She knew he was thinking about the time he spent being Amon's captive. When the boys had been low on cash, Bolin had gone back to the Triad for work. He ended up getting kidnaped by Equalists, and almost got his bending taken away by Amon at a rally. Mako and Korra had rescued him, but it had been a very close call. Members of the Triad lost their bending that night, right before their eyes, and Bolin had been next.
"Yeah I feel the same. We are so going to crush those chumps tomorrow night, they won't even know what hit em!" Bolin said with fists raised.
Just then a feminine voice cut in, and an elegant young woman entered the room. Her long black hair fell down her back in thick waves, her light green eyes shining brightly in her heart shaped face. She was wearing a rich looking coat, stylish boots and a lot of makeup.
"Asami!" Mako said happily. He went and rubbed noses with his girlfriend. Korra made a vomiting face towards Bolin, who stifled a chuckle at her antics.
Asami Sato was the daughter of the Fire Ferrets new sponsor, Hiroshi Sato of Future Industries. The two had met when she had accidentally ran him over with her Moped. The two had hit it off ever since, Mako taking Asami to Korra's ball and going out on many dates in the past weeks.
"You guys have really gotten connected with each other! You're going to need these new uniforms, with my dad's logo on it," Asami told them, gesturing towards a cart beside her. She had her arm wrapped around Mako's waist, and Korra and Bolin fought the urge to gag.
"Of course. I can't thank you again for becoming our sponsor Asami," her boyfriend told her. The heiress waved her free hand in front of her and smiled, blowing him away with her beauty.
"It's my pleasure. Besides, it gave me a chance to be with you. Which reminds me, I wanted to catch lunch with you now. Is that okay?" she asked. Mako quickly agreed and bid his brother and Korra goodbye, leaving the two alone in the training room.
The waterbender turned to Bolin, her arms crossed. She had taken off her parka, it tied around her waist, and her toned arms were exposed. "Well I guess he's done training. Honestly, he spends more time with her than ever," she said, shaking her head.
Bolin chuckled, and shrugged at the situation. "They really have gotten closer. Mako can't stop talking about her most nights. It leaves me with this feeling that he's abandoning me for her," he said jokingly, eyes cast down.
Even though he laughed about it, Bolin truly felt alone at times. During most days his brother would go off to Asami's mansion or to some picture show in the City, leaving him at home with Pabu. With Korra training with Tenzin at the Air Temple, Bolin felt left out. To his surprise, he felt Korra's smooth hand cup his cheek, forcing his green eyes to her blue. She was giving him a look that melted his insides, full of concern and emotion, and her hand felt cool against his heating skin.
"Don't you worry Bo, you will always have me. I won't leave you," she said softly. Korra didn't know what caused her to say that, but she meant every word. Even though he was joking, she could tell that there was a deeper meaning in his words. Bolin truly felt neglected, and he had told her instead of Mako. He trusted her, leaned on her, and that made Korra determined to make sure he stopped feeling alone. Bolin closed his eyes for a moment. He brought his rough calloused hand over her small one and held it against his face for a second before lowering it back to her side.
"Thanks Korra that means a lot to me", he said gently. The softness in which he treated her shocked Korra at times, but it was a pleasant kind.
"You bet. I'm going to go take Naga for a walk, you're welcome to join us," she offered. The Avatar watched as her friend thought, laughing when he made a serious face.
"Well as long as Pabu comes!" He said finally. As if waiting in the rafters, the adorable red fire ferret scurried into the room, wrapping himself around Bolin's neck like a scarf. They both laughed loudly then, holding their sides at the creature's antics. "Of course he can come too. Naga needs the animal company," Korra consented.
The three left the training room then, the space between Bolin and the Avatar smaller than before.
Korra sat with Jinora and Ikki back at the Air Temple, the girls feeding the ring-tailed lemurs in the courtyard. She had dropped Bolin off at his home after Naga's walk. The Avatar smiled, thinking of how her teammate could make anything fun.
They had played hide and seek with the animals at the park, Pabu and Naga soundly defeating the teens. After that Bolin had sat behind Korra, holding onto her waist and pointing out all the places he loved in the City. The walk ended up lasting until late in the evening, and she reluctantly parted ways before going back to her new home. Jinora and Ikki noticed her smile, and moved closer to the Avatar on the bench they shared.
"I see you're in a good mood Korra. Is it because of the tall, dreamy firebender boy?" Jinora inquired.
Ikki readily added, "Yeah, you guys have been spending time together right? That's why you're always gone in the mornings".
Korra sat up straight then, snapped out of her daydream, and looked at the airbenders. She had, in the past, mentioned Mako and Bolin to them. Jinora and Ikki instantly linked the firebender and Korra, and constantly asked if anything romantic was transpiring between them. Only lately had the Avatar began to forget about Mako in that light, after he and Asami started dating. She now thought about Bolin more than ever, romantic thoughts of Mako never crossing her mind. Of course she hadn't shared this with the girls, so Korra knew they were bound to ask again.
Taking a deep breath, the waterbender continued to feed the lemurs while she spoke. "Well you guys, Mako's actually dating this new girl. Asami Sato, the kid of Hiroshi Sato," she started.
Ikki gasped in horror while Jinora's eyes widened. "Isn't that the inventor of the Satomobile? How did he end up with her?" The older girl asked.
Korra then proceeded to explain how the two had met, going through how cute they have become and how he has fallen hard for the pretty heiress. While she talked, Korra noticed how calm she was, truly happy for Mako that he had newfound love with Asami. Maybe I never really liked Mako to begin with, she thought while the girls beside her chatted in her ears.
"So you're not jealous? How come you're not depressed right now? Is there another guy you have your eyes on?" Ikki demanded in one breath.
The image of that afternoon filled Korra's mind, how her heart had fluttered when Bolin gently held her hand to his face. She had never felt that way about Mako. Looking between Jinora and Ikki, she chuckled at their expectant faces, and decided to confess the new development with Bolin.
Meanwhile back at the Arena, the boys sat quietly in their home. Mako and Bolin were in their underpants and tank tops, Mako washing dishes while his brother bathed Pabu in a small tub. The two hadn't really spoken much since that morning's training session. Mako's mind was on his pretty girlfriend, and he found himself humming while he dried a plate. Bolin's thoughts were on one doe eyed waterbender, the sound of her booming laughter echoing in his mind. She was so amazing to him, everything about her he loved. The way she jutted her bottom lip in an adorable pout when someone gave her attitude. Her playful punches which made the place where she hit bruise up, or how gently she could be with Naga or a group of street kids. Bolin especially liked how she roared with laughter at his jokes and the way she looked at him sometimes when she thought he wasn't looking.
Maybe Korra likes me more than before, he thought.
Pabu squirmed under his large hands as he scrubbed him. The fire ferret enjoyed being clean but hated the process. His fur stuck to him heavily while Bolin finished up his bath. Breaking the painful silence, Bolin cleared his throat and turned to his brother.
"Hey Mako, what do you think of Korra as a girlfriend?" He asked. He watched as Mako paused, his shoulders tense at the question.
"Uh Bolin, let me see. Korra is a great person, a real good friend. But honestly I think Asami makes more sense for me as a girlfriend, not to rag on Korra at all," he eventually said. He looked over his shoulder at his brother and was confused when he saw a hurt expression cross his face.
How can he think that I was suggesting her for him? Bolin thought dejectedly. "Mako, I was thinking of asking Korra out, not suggesting that you date her," Bolin said while drying Pabu. The earthbender heard his brother cough awkwardly, but refused to meet his eyes.
"Oh, I knew that! But listen bro, I don't think it's a good idea to date a teammate. Especially while in a tournament," Mako warned.
Anger broiled in Bolin at his brother's words. Again, he was trying to keep him single, shooting down his attempts at finding a girlfriend. I let him date whoever, never complained about the girls that didn't last, thought Bolin.
"Why aren't you supporting me? All I did was ask what you thought, not to control my love life. I actually think her and I are perfect for each other!" Bolin shouted. Pabu whined under his hands, slipping away to hide under the table. Mako sighed, trying to keep his voice calm while he looked at his brother. His green eyes were bright with anger, and his muscled arms were crossed in defiance.
"That's not my intention! I'm just saying, dating a teammate is really risky. What if things don't work out? We just got the team to where it needs to be. I don't want our season to be screwed up if you two have drama." Mako explained this coldly.
Didn't his bro care about the team?
Bolin lost all patience with his apathetic brother, turning his back to walk over to the window. He gazed out toward Air Temple Island, where Korra was probably practicing her airbending.
"I'm talking about real love, something you know nothing about," he whispered to himself.
Mako didn't hear him, he already leaving the room to go Spirits knows where. So the brothers continued to ignore one another, both too mad to speak.
"Hey guys, are you ready to destroy the Boarcupines tonight? Guys...?" Korra's voice trailed as she stared at her teammates.
Mako was sitting on one end of the locker room, his head hung between slouched shoulders. Bolin was leaning on a wall opposite of his brother, fiddling with his helmet absentmindedly. The atmosphere in the room was so thick, not even an Avatar Aang Airbending Slice could make a scratch in it. The crowd out in the arena was screaming, but the excitement wasn't reaching her glum teammates.
Korra walked over to Bolin and kneeled down in front of him, a curious look on her face. "You mind telling me what's the matter? It's so tense in here," she asked.
Bolin turned his face from the Avatar, refusing to speak to her. He was worried that if Korra discovered his feelings for her then his chance would be blown. The blue eyed girl was worried for her friend, but was also thinking of the teams match. Hesitating for just a moment, Korra slowly placed her gloved hand on his chin, gently turning his head so their eyes could meet. The young earthbender's heart thudded loudly in his chest at the contact, his eyes locked with Korra's in disbelief.
"I don't know what happened between you two since I last saw you, but I know it can't be so unforgivable that you can't look past it and forgive each other. You're brothers right? If I had a sibling, I would not waste a moment being upset with them," The Avatar said firmly. She could see that her words hit home as his eyes slowly crept to Mako across the room. His eyes swiftly came back to the girl in front of him when he felt her sweet breath hit his face.
She is so close, he thought hazily.
"Whatever is weighing you down, you know you can tell me right?" Korra said seriously. Her face was set with a look full of concern, and Bolin could literally drown in the warmth of her eyes.
Raising his hand to grasp the one she had on his cheek, he gently pulled them up to their feet. She was still searching his face with that worried look, her mouth set in a grim line. There was hardly any space between them, with her hand still clasped in his. Bolin brought her into a tight embrace, tucking her head under his chin. He felt his heart swell when she raised her arms to wrap around his middle.
"Sorry for worrying you Korra. Can we talk after the match tonight? I've got a lot on my mind," he said softly. He felt her nod into his chest before gently pulling away so he could look into her face. Her eyes were filled with an emotion that he could not identify, but her mouth was pulled into a shy grin.
The earthbender turned to his brooding brother, who had watched their whole exchange with something akin to envy in his heart. Korra did not even ask me if I was okay, he thought sullenly.
"Mako, I'm sorry for my harsh words yesterday. You think we can push this behind us? At least until we've won the match?" Bolin said to his brother.
Korra watched as Mako got to his feet slowly, his helmet gripped tightly in his hands. His eyes were harder than the gold they resembled as he ignored his brother's apology, walking to the entrance of the arena. "Save it Bolin, let's just get this match over with," he said coldly.
A blaze filled Korra's head, steam leaking out of her clenched teeth and flared nostrils. Who does he think he is, talking to his flesh and blood like that? But before she could water whip him into the next century, she felt a strong grip on her arm. She turned her head to meet Bolin's eyes, and was dismayed when he shook his head at her.
"Leave him be-," he began, his words drowned out by the roaring crowd.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ARE YOU READY FOR A BENDING MATCH?!" The announcer had the masses going insane, and the Fire Ferrets could see that their opponents were already warming up on the ring.
This is going to be fun, the Avatar thought glumly.
"This is totally NOT fun!" Korra bellowed as she and the Bending Brothers splashed into the water below the ring.
The match was going horribly wrong, their bending performance mediocre at best. Mako's attitude towards his teammates could be described as aloof; it was like he was trying to be a one man show. Constantly hitting Korra and Bolin with rouge fire blasts, tripping them up with his 'fancy-footwork', and getting them knocked out of the ring; Mako was a one man wrecking ball. Bolin had tried in vain to get his brother to snap out of it before the match actually begun, but to no avail. Now as the battered team swam back to the elevator, it seemed that they were on their way to defeat.
"C'mon guys, this is not the same team I sparred with the other day!" The Avatar announced as the elevator began rising back towards the ring. The brothers refused to acknowledge her, looking everywhere but her direction. Frustrated, the waterbender grabbed Mako by his arm and pulled him close to her until she was looking into his face fiercely.
"Whatever is eating at you Mako, you need to squash it and get your head out of your ass! Bo and I are doing all we can out there, but we aren't going to get very far if you keep burning us like this! Where is our fearless leader, huh?" she demanded. Said fearless leader gave the girl his signature glare before sagging his shoulders in defeat. Releasing his arm, Korra allowed Mako a moment to gather his words.
"I know, I know! I'm not focused right now, and it's costing us", he said with a shake of his head. The elevator jolted as it reached the top, and the Ferrets made their slow procession back towards the ring.
"Well get focused, because one more ejection and we're done! I'm on thin ice as is since I nearly killed the ref," Korra sighed. The brothers nodded solemnly, the image of their fearsome friend water-whipping the ref forever ingrained in memory.
"ALL RIGHT FOLKS, THIS IS IT! THE FIRE FERRETS NEED TO WIN THIS ROUND WITH A KNOCK OUT IN ORDER TO ADVANCE. CAN THEY MAKE A SPECTACULAR COMEBACK?" The announcer booms. The three bending teens felt all the pressure in the world bore down on them as they lined up against the Buzzard Wasps. Looking between her teammates, the Avatar tried one last time to rally them together.
"Alright you guys this is it. We will never forgive ourselves if we don't give this our all," she said strongly. From the corner of her eye she could see Bolin nod his assent, doubt still flickering in his eyes. Mako only grumbled how they weren't going to pull through this late in the match, regardless of luck. Deciding to ignore their negativity, Korra focused her attention to her formidable opponents.
The ding of the bell was deafening.
"THE BOARCUPINES ARE PACKING A MEAN PUNCH, HOPING TO END THIS WITH A SOUNDING 3 ROUND VICTORY! MAKO MOVES TO ATTACK ONLY TO BE PUSHED BACK TO ZONE TWO! THE BOARCUPINES COMBINE THEIR ATTACKS ON BOLIN, AND PUSH HIM ALL THE WAY TO ZONE THREE! KORRA IS HANGING ON IN THE FIRST ZONE, BUT WITHOUT HER TEAMATES THERE TO BACK HER UP SHE IS SLOWLY BEING BACKED UP INTO THE SECOND ZONE! MAKO SENDS A TORRENT OF FIRE TO THE FRONT, ONLY TO NEARLY SINGE HIS WATERBENDING TEAMATES EYEBROWS OFF. THINGS AREN'T LOOKING BETTER FOR BOLIN AS THE BOARCUPINES SEND A VOLLY OF FIRE AND WATER TO GET HIM OFF BALANCE. CAN THE FERRETS HANG ON-"
The voice of the announcer, the roar of the crowd, even the hissing of the elements surging in the ring dulled to a buzz as Korra heard Bolin scream out in pain. Taking her eyes off her enemy for a second, she spared a worried glance his way. And did not like what she saw.
The earthbender's face was contorted in agony as he cradled his right shoulder gingerly. The Boarcupine's earthbender had sent a disk right into his shoulder socket, pushing Bolin up against the rails of their part of the ring. Man, this is not good, not good at all!" Bolin thought, just as the pain became unbearable. He saw Korra struggling to stay on the playing field, and quickly looked over at his brother. To his surprise, Mako was looking back at him in concern, completely unaware that a raging water spout was being sent his way!
"Bo-," he began, but the firebender was quickly swept off the ring entirely and into the drink below.
"AND THERE GOES MAKO EVERYBODY! LOOKS LIKE BOLIN TOOK A ZINGER TO THE SHOULDER, LEAVING THE FERRETS WITH A NOT A LOT OF HOPE OF WINNING THE MATCH TONIGHT," the announcer said.
Korra tried to protect him as much as she could, but she could not stop the other team from ejecting Bolin from the ring. Tripped up by an earth disc and pummeled by a water spout, the earhtbending Fire Ferret plummeted down alongside his brother, who was just getting to his feet on the elevator. The firebender quickly helped his kin out of the water and onto his feet, a sinking feeling pooling in his gut.
"How's your shoulder Bo?" He asked quietly, his hands reaching out to him. He watched as his teammate tried to roll his injured limb, only to hiss in pain at the effort. Why was I even upset with him in the first place? This is my fault he's hurt, Mako thought guiltily. Unaware of his brother's inner conflict, Bolin gave him a lopsided grin.
"It's banged up pretty bad, but I think I'll be okay…are we going to be okay?" he said over to Mako. The elevator began lifting them up then, the two Ferrets finally looking at each other.
"Of course we are. We're brothers. We can get past this, just like we do everything else," the firebender said, and then added, "I'm sorry."
Bolin gently nudged him with his foot, a real smile gracing his lips for the first time that evening. There is the big brother I know, he thought with relief. Even though his apology was terse, he could hear the sincerity in the firebender's tone. Of course, he had already forgiven his drama queen of a brother, but he wasn't going to tell him that. Before he could reply, the crowd's sudden increase in volume had both of their attentions drawn back to the ring. They had briefly forgotten about Korra, and as the brothers finally caught sight of the ring, they both gasped at what they saw.
Korra was gracefully dodging the Boarcupines assault, diving and rolling around in the second zone as if she was dancing on air. They watched as she sent a powerful bullet of water towards one opponent, knocking them back to zone three. She back flipped over an earth disc while simultaneously sending a jet of water at the Boarcupine's firebender. This toppled him right on top of his earthbendng teammate, strategically moving all three of them into a straight line. Seizing this moment, Korra gathered all the water she could and sent an unbelievable strong water torrent into them, knocking all three into the lake below.
And winning the match.
"THAT WAS UN-BE-LIEV-ABLE FOLKS! THE AVATAR SINGLE HANDIDLY SAVED HER TEAM FROM ELIMINATION WITH SOME FANCY FOOTWORK! SHE WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE, DODGING EVERY SINGLE ATTACK, AND SOMEHOW MANAGED TO LINE UP HER OPPONENTS TO DELIVER THE FINISHING BLOW! WHAT A KNOCK OUT! THE FUTURE INDUSTRY FIRE FERRETS ARE GOING TO THE FINALS!" The announcer declared with his usual gusto. The brothers waited for Korra in the locker room, too amazed to utter a word. Mako shook his head and went to greet his victorious teammate, leaving Bolin with his thoughts.
"She's the most amazing bender I've ever seen. No, the most amazing person I've ever had the luck to know. I have to tell her how I feel, before someone else realizes how great she is."
Bolin plopped down on the bench, still holding his shoulder as his teammates walked up beside him. "That was the coolest thing I've ever seen Korra", he stated. Bolin watched as her face colored at his praise, taking pleasure in her shy grin.
"Yeah. Thanks for not giving up on us out there tonight. I owe you one, big time," Mako added, his face softening.
Korra was pumped full of adrenaline, the blood in her veins as hot as the sun. She did not even know where all that came from; all she knew was that she had to win. Seeing her teammates go down like that, especially Bolin with his shoulder injury, spurred in her the drive to score them a victory. The fluidity of her movements was as if she had become one with her birth element, and the power she had used really proved to her how much she has improved.
"You're welcome guys. Have you both made up? I really hate to see you two fighting," the waterbender said gently. She watched with relief as Mako rested a hand on Bolin's head, ruffling his curls as he chuckled. I'm so glad that's over, she thought with a smile.
"Yeah we're over it. It was pretty stupid of me to have been so upset. I could have cost us the match, and you wouldn't have gotten hurt bro." Mako said with a sad voice.
The mere mentioning of the injury caused the obstruction to flare up, making Bolin grunt in pain. Something twisted in the Avatar's gut at his discomfort. She quickly sat down beside him, straddling the bench so that she was facing his injury. Bending up some water from her water skin, she covered her hands with it until she had glowing gloves. Without saying a single word, Korra scooted closer to him on the bench. Bolin watched with fascination as she gently laid her hands on his shoulder. The cooling water absorbed all the heat from his injury as she bended around his shoulder joint, relieving the pain and replacing it with a dull feeling.
"Is that your healing ability? I've heard about waterbenders being able to do this, but I've never actually seen it in person," Mako said, his voice peaked with interest.
He watched as the Avatar only nodded, too fixated on her task to reply back. Her brow was furrowed and her mouth was set in a straight line, so utterly consumed with her charge that she did not notice his stare. She's not even this focused during practice! It's as if I'm not here anymore, like it's just her and Bolin…" Mako hummed in his mind. Sparing a glance at his brother, he caught the glint in his emerald eyes as they too gazed at the Avatar. Like she was the only girl in the world. As silently as possible, the firebender crept backwards out of the room.
Neither Korra nor Bolin took notice.
Sitting on the roof of the Bending Arena, Bolin and Korra enjoyed the flickering lights of the city below. Mako had joined them again so they could catch a bit of the next tournament match, once she was finished healing Bolin's shoulder. The Fire Ferrets ran into the Wolfbats as they made their way into the locker room. Tahno, their leader who is a waterbender, proceeded to taunt them mercilessly as they made their way to their semifinals match. As much as they hated to admit it, the Ferrets couldn't deny that their opponents are brutal and efficient. They witnessed the beat down that was the match, which only lasted a few minutes. A nasty first round knockout left the other team in gurneys, much to Bolin's dismay. The three teens then discussed a battle strategy until they were interrupted by Asami. After a few congratulations were passed around between them, the team parted ways. Mako disappeared with his beautiful girlfriend while Bolin lead the Avatar up to the roof.
"Man, you sure know how to work that water, woman! My shoulder feels great," he declared loudly. He rolled his shoulder dramatically for added effect, making the Avatar laugh.
"I'm glad I could be of help. I learned from Katara, and she's the best there is," Korra said softly. The image of the legendary waterbender entered her mind. Soft gray hair pulled into a traditional Water Tribe bun, a soft smile brightening a wrinkled face that held two glowing sea blue eyes, her waterbending teacher was still a sight to behold. Katara hailed from the Southern tribe just like her, and Korra grew up hearing tales of her spectacular adventures with Avatar Aang. I really do miss her, she thought with a sigh. She missed her Tribe, specifically her parents, but the way her heart yearned to hear praise from the old Master was different.
Bolin sensed the change in the air and draped his arm across her shoulders, pulling her into his side. He snuck a glance at her, just in time to see a faint blush hint her cheeks. "Sounds to me like you miss her. I'm sure she is thinking the same about you. I would if I were her," he said before wincing. You bonehead Bolin! Might as well have said that the world revolved around her! She totally knows now-
His frantic thoughts were cut short when he felt Korra lay her head comfortably in the crook of his shoulder. This was as close as she had ever gotten with him, and frankly, Bolin didn't know what to say. Thankfully he didn't have to.
"Yeah, I really do. Hey, didn't you say that you had something to tell me?" The Avatar said. It seemed that she had missed his little slip up, but now it was time to speak his mind. She tilted her head up a little, and her breath was warm on his neck. Bolin felt his blood rush in his ears and tried not to clumsily fall off the roof in his nervousness. It's now or never. You can do this Bolin!
"Well-, you know it's been kind of-, gah what I'm trying to say is, oh Pebbles!" The earthbender stammered nonsensically, moving his free hand in front of him wildly. He wished his words would come out of him like a normal person's would, but it seems that the Spirits had his tongue tied up. He could feel more than hear the girl beside him chuckle, the feeling sending warmth through his chest.
"Okay, I guess what I'm trying to say is that, my life has been a little crazy lately. The whole thing with the Equalists kidnapping me is pretty messed up, but it's more than that. The Fire Ferrets got a sponsor, something I thought would never happen. Who would have funded a team made up of street rats anyway? Mako has this thing going with Asami, and he's gone most of the time. I am so used to my brother being right beside me, telling me I'm being stupid or laughing at Pabu's and my antics. And then there is you," he rushed.
Korra looked up at him then. While he was speaking she felt concern for him. She totally understood why he would feel overwhelmed. Not too long ago, she was still trapped in that compound training her butt off in order to impress the White Lotus. Her parents were still treating her like a child, and her only joys were taking Naga riding in the tundra. Now, well, now her whole life has changed. She's training with Tenzin, a part of a successful Pro-Bending team, and making some amazing memories along the way. Of course, the looming threat of the Equalists and Amon is always important, as well as the stress of being on Tarrlok's task force. As she tries to catch his gaze, Korra wonders why he mentioned her like that.
"What about me, Bo?" The Avatar asked slowly, prodding him in the side with her finger. She smiled at how red his face became, his eyes darting back and forth frantically. He's so cute when he's like this-Wait! Cute?
"How can you not know? You've come into my world like a rockslide, but the good kind! Everything about my life is exciting now because you're a part of it Korra. Before, when it was just Mako and I, it was only about surviving another day. Working for the Triad was no trip to Ember Island! Living in the Arena, scrapping up a living was not only difficult but embarrassing. But now, I'm proud to walk the streets of Republic City. I'm playing on a kick butt bending team, making enough money to actually afford Fireflakes for Pabu and I, and Mako doesn't have to stress out as much and-," Bolin paused in his rambling to turn towards Korra. He stared into her wide eyes and he placed his hands on her shoulders gently, giving them a soft squeeze.
"I've met the girl of my dreams," he said sweetly, giving her his signature smile.
He watched as the realization of his confession dawned on her. First, her eyes became as wide as the full moon above them. A rich red painted her cheeks and her mouth fell into an adorable 'o'. A cold wind blew over them then, causing a rouge strand of hair to pull free from her wolf tails. Without really thinking, Bolin reached a hand out to tuck the strand behind her ear. A pulse of electricity ran through both teens as his fingers grazed her skin, but neither of them could look away from the other.
Korra was trying hard to find her voice. She had to admit that they had gotten closer since their first meeting. Her pseudo feelings for Mako had disappeared weeks ago, and she found herself thinking of the earthbender more and more as of late. The way his eyes gleamed when he was about to tell a horrible joke, or the laugh he makes when playing with Pabu. Even the way he looks when bending his element pulled her attention during practice. While Mako had a lean build that girls were always staring at while they walked Republic City's streets, Bolin had the physique of a warrior. He was all ripping muscles, and Korra liked to know someone was stronger than her. She just did not think that he could possible feel this way about her too. She wasn't exactly 'dream girl' material.
Reaching over to gently take one of his hands in hers, Korra stared at their entwined fingers. She could not reach his eyes.
"You really think that way about me? I've never had any close relationships with anyone my own age. Nothing but stuffy old men in robes yelling that I'm not good enough yet to be a fully realized Avatar. That's all I am really, the bridge between the spirit world and our own. My whole life has been spent training to fulfil my destiny. To fill the shoes that Aang left behind. No one treats me like I'm my own person; I'm only the Avatar. Tenzin is getting there, but he still treats me like I'm this fragile turtle-duck. As if I haven't already mastered three elements. No one ever sees or even likes me for me. No one but you Bolin," Korra said softly. Her voice was barely above a whisper, and the vice grip she had on his hand would have made lesser men cry. Bolin remained stoic however, rubbing tiny circles onto the back of her hand.
"And you have no idea how wonderful that is! Being myself around you with no fear of being judged. I know I have Mako too, and Tenzin's kids have been like siblings to me. But you give me this feeling here," she placed her free hand over her chest, taking a moment to meet his eyes. Korra had seen that expression before, all the times she had caught him staring at her during practice or when they were all hanging out in the city. The look she was now recognizing as his hidden feelings for her. I'm the girl of his dreams….
Bolin took the hand he was holding and placed it over his own heart, letting her feel how rapid his heart beat was.
"You give me that same feeling Korra. I think you are an amazing person, not just because you're the Avatar. I think you're strong and funny and confident and charming and absolutely gorgeous. Don't listen to those old buzzard-wasps; you are by far the best Avatar for the job. And you are more than enough for me," Bolin declared. The smile she gave him was more radiant than any he had seen before. She doesn't even know how beautiful she really is, he mentally sighed.
The earthbender watched as that radiant smile diminished into a thoughtful pout and felt a gentle squeeze of her hand. "So?" Korra began, shyly looking at him under her lashes.
"Soooooooooo?" he drawled huskily, scooting closer to her on the roofs edge. His legs straddled the ledge so that there was no space between him and the Avatar. She was looking up into his face, and he could once again feel the warmth of her breath. He watched with pleasure as her cheeks flamed up once again, Spirits, I love doing that.
Korra tried in vain to keep the heat from rising into her cheeks, but his charm was proving too much for her. He's sure got the moves, way better than his brother's, she mused. Laughing a bit, she reached her arms to wrap around his waist, inciting a blush from her earthbender.
"Like I said, I have no experience with relationships. I don't have a clue what to do, what to say, or what to call this," she emphasized by squeezing his middle lightly. "All I know is how I feel about you Bo. All I'm certain of is that I want you." Korra stated calmly, staring straight into his green eyes.
Looking at him like that, with her voice full of certainty of her feelings for him, made Bolin internally scream with joy. Here was his confident Avatar, the young woman who never backed down from a fight. Even in unfamiliar territory, there she was standing her ground and being true to her feelings. Feelings he had once believed to be a pipe dream he had. Korra felt his breath hitch before he completely pulled her into his lap, turning her to where her back was against his muscled chest. At first Korra was too shocked to make a sound, but immediately she relaxed into his strong frame. His arms wrapped around her and held her close, as if shielding her from the entire world.
"Well, lucky for us, this is unfamiliar territory for me too. If you want to take things slow, I'm all for it. I don't want to rush this; I want to take my time with you Korra. To savor each and every moment we have together. I know Amon and his followers, the task force, and your Airbending training have got you very stressed. I don't want us to make things more complicated," he stated.
"But I do want to claim you, to scream to the entire city that you're mine. I want everyone to know that you are off limits", he finished, pressing his face into her hair to kiss the side of her head. Something deep in Korra's core burned at his words, and she could do nothing to stop the hum of pleasure slipping through her lips. Turning her head, she let her mouth graze his strong jawline, giving him a breathtaking smile when she saw goosebumps appear.
Amon, the Equalists revolution, Tenzin, Tarrlok's task force, even Mako faded away as he gently placed his lips onto hers. It was a kiss full of promise; the promise to care for one another and the promise of many more kisses to come. His lips were soft and sweet and warm, the kiss everything she could have imagined her first to be like. Bolin thought she tasted like moonlight, fresh as the sea breeze against his tongue.
He felt her smile against his lips before hearing her whisper, "I'm all yours".