Author's Note: This is my first Legend of Korra story. I just love Tenzin and Pema's back story. This story was sort of inspired by Ask Her to Dance by bookchick08. You should definitely check it out, it's fantastic!
Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Korra. I doubt I'd have time to write this if I was working as hard as Bryke are on season 2.
I was in the middle of the dance floor with all of my friends. We were celebrating my 18th birthday. The party was in full swing, with almost everyone on the dance floor, even those who would normally be too shy. Alcohol will do that to you. I hadn't had much of course, just a couple small drinks. I was just delightfully tipsy. Not like some. One boy was on top of a table on the far side of the room, and one girl had already thrown up. I couldn't help thinking that the people of Air Temple Island, at least, should have the restraint to know when to stop. Oh well, we are also known for being fun loving. There is one exception, and he's sitting in the corner, refusing to have fun. As usual.
What am I going to do with Tenzin? I thought to myself as I looked towards him. People who didn't know him very well might think he was still a bit upset about his break up with Lin. I knew that wasn't true. They had broken up almost 3 weeks ago, and it had been coming for a while. They wanted different things for the future, so a break up was inevitable. So no, he wasn't upset about that. I knew that he was just being his usual, serious self. That ends now. I thought as I headed towards the edge of the dance floor.
I walked up to him and stopped in front of him. Leaning down so he could hear me, I said, "Tenzin, you must come dance with me. Right. Now." I grabbed his hands and attempted to drag him out of his chair.
He pulled his hands away and shook his head, sternly. "Pema, that would be…highly inappropriate." Tenzin said in his most Master Tenzin-y voice. "You should dance with your friends."
"You're my friend too." I said, pouting. "Why won't you dance with me?"
"As I said, it would be very inappropriate. Are you drunk?" The question came because I was leaning towards him with my hand on his knee, giggling.
"No." I told him. "I'm only a bit tipsy." I giggled some more. He looked scandalized by my hand on his knee. I dared to slide it up a bit farther.
"Pema!" Yes, he was definitely scandalized. He removed my hand from his leg and placed it on the table. I scooted my chair closer to him and leaned up to whisper in his ear.
"You must stop this. This is terribly inappropriate!" Tenzin was looking around to make sure no one was observing us too closely.
I put my lips right beside his ear and said "If you don't come dance with me, I'm going to do something much more inappropriate." I stood up and looked at him expectantly. His face showed worry, slight annoyance, and something else…intrigue, I think. I smirked at him and I could tell he was wondering what I would do. I hadn't had enough to drink to do anything to drastic, but I would come up with something if he made me.
"Can we just wait…for a slow song?" Tenzin asked hopefully. "I'm no good at dancing like this."
I pondered that for a moment. "Ok. Next slow song. I'll find you." I gave him one last flirty smirk, then disappeared back onto the dance floor.
I felt relieved as she walked away. It wasn't that I didn't want to dance with Pema; I did. That was the problem. I was almost twice her age! Didn't she understand how, well, inappropriate it would be for me to dance with her? How inappropriate it was for her to touch my leg and whisper in my ear? I certainly knew how inappropriate it was that I enjoyed these things. I know I really need to get over this attraction to her, but I'm afraid it's only going to get stronger. The feelings started almost a year ago, and have only gotten stronger since. Even Lin noticed. She told me I should just go for it and that my reservations were ridiculous. People would talk, of course, but that shouldn't matter, especially to Avatar Aang's son. They would get over it. But Lin has always been more rebellious and headstrong than I. How could she be any different with a mother like Toph?
No, I can't just ignore how wrong it would be. I'm the older one and I have to be the responsible one. Does she even know what people could say? They would probably accuse her of being a seductress, and me of having an inappropriate relationship with an underage student. Of course, we're friends, so she's not just any other student. That would probably make it easier for people to talk. I sighed and looked out at the dance floor. We definitely can't dance like that together. So I had suggested dancing to a slow song. I could keep her a respectable difference away. No one can say anything about two friends sharing an innocent dance.
I leaned back in my chair and wondered what had gotten into Pema. She was being so forward tonight. Of course, some of it is the alcohol. But I know she hasn't had much to drink; I've been keeping an eye on her all night. Maybe she feels the same way I do, and has decided to do something about it. I shook my head at that thought. What would she see in you, Tenzin? I thought to myself. You're practically an old man. There's another problem that comes with my age. People are expecting me to get married very soon. At 34, I'm already much older than my siblings were when they each got married. I would never want to put Pema under that kind of pressure. Not that she would probably even want to date me, much less ever marry me, like I said.
Shaking my head to get rid of these ridiculous thoughts, I looked around the party. Guys were swarming Pema. They'd been doing that all night of course, but now she was actually letting them close. She danced with each of them in turn. I tried to ignore the way they touched her, the way they looked at her, and the way they moved against her. I didn't like it, but I have absolutely no right to say anything. I actually have no right to be upset about it, but I am. I could swear she glances over at me every once in a while. She's trying to tease me, isn't she? She wants me to be jealous. She wants me to regret not dancing with her. Well I am and I do. You win, Pema. In spite of myself, I found myself looking forward to that slow dance. I settled into my seat to wait.