Borra Week, Day 3: Masquerade
"No, Korra, that's just how it goes. You have to go in costume and so does everyone else."
"But I'm just going to be-"
"Don't! It has to be a secret."
She sighed as she finally agreed to go along with the silly thing. She still couldn't really see the point but he was excited about it and it would be a shame to spoil his fun. He'd been planning a costume from the moment the ball was announced, but she'd had no idea what to do. Jinora had finally taken her into the storage rooms of the temple to look for something fun to wear, but Korra still felt like she was in over her head. The first time she'd started to feel like this could be fun was when she found the green robe and golden headdress. Jinora was completely taken with the idea of her dressing up as Avatar Kyoshi and helped her find the makeup and accessories to complete the outfit.
The afternoon before the ball Bolin ran out the door with box of mysterious clothing to get ready elsewhere. Jinora and Ikki had agreed to help her with the makeup before they put on their own costumes, but she still dawdled and dragged her feet before finally heading out to find the girls. She dressed herself with no fuss, but they giggled and laughed as they helped her with the thick makeup that Kyoshi had worn as the Avatar. As they drew and painted on her face, couldn't help but laughing along, and when she saw the finished result she grinned from ear to ear. If she could hardly recognize the elegant lady gazing out of the mirror as herself, she doubted anyone else would be able to either. She was starting to enjoy this after all.
She went to the ball with Tenzin and his family, but she soon wandered away to look for Bolin. This dance was a bit eerie with everyone's face obscured or disguised. She felt like she was lost in a sea of inhuman spirits as she drifted through the crowd. It was strange and disorienting, but oddly serene. She had to smile though as she spotted a familiar form and she turned to walk up behind him. The blue cloth and white spoke to her of home, and when he turned the white, grey, and black face paint was like that of the warriors she'd seen when she was small. But a thousand little tells said to her that this was the man she was looking for. When she tapped his shoulder and he turned, the green eyes watching her through the disguise were unmistakable.
Keeping her face serene and raising a fan in front of her mouth, she did not say a word but simply bowed and extended a hand. He looked surprised, but bowed back and took her hand as she turned and guided him to the dance floor. He asked one or two small questions, but she managed to keep from smiling as they slowly danced together. He seemed puzzled and alternated between examining her face and craning his neck to search the crowd, as if looking for someone he was expecting. Finally it was too much to take and she grinned as she stretched up to drop one soft kiss against his lips.
Finally he asked, "Korra?"
She laughed. "I'm insulted! You spent the whole dance looking for another woman."
He stammered and she guessed he was blushing underneath the makeup. "I thought you didn't want to do this. And besides, how did you find me? I thought this was a great disguise."
"Oh, I know you too well for that. The way you stand, the way you move, everything about you." She grinned and reached a finger to touch that lock of hair that always fell across his forehead. "Especially this."
He laughed along with her as they move together through the slow steps of the dance.