Title: Dance, Sifu!
Word Count: 2,225
Summary: [She never thought she'd see Tenzin at a jazz club. / All they wanted was to loosen him up a little… | Korra. Tenzin. Bumi II. Kya.]
be-the-peaf · Prompt 032 – a little night music
-.-
"I can't believe they dragged me down here…"
The voice reached her over the music and Korra tilts her head slightly as Tenzin continues to grumble in the corner of the bar. He'd been in there ever since they arrived; slouching over in his seat with his hand held in front of his face, hoping that no one would recognize the councilman on their night out. He wasn't speaking to anyone; he'd done all that on their way over. He complained loudly with talk of meetings and meditation circles and having to help Pema with the dishes but Bumi and Kya would hear none of it; they just sat in the cab with their younger brother wedged between them.
Korra sat by the driver, having been dragged along by Bumi on their way out. He called her "Dad" as he grabbed her arm, but she could only shake her head and assume he and Kya had been out long before they visited the island.
They arrived at the club with its music blaring from the streets. Kya and Bumi hit the dance floor immediately, sparing no time to chat or buy a drink as their brother dragged himself into the corner and begun his night of hiding.
Bumi and Kya, however, were in the life of the crowd; dancing and raving in the center of the club while a band played racy jazz on a corner stage. They were so different from Tenzin; almost wild and Korra enjoyed watching them, smiling and laughing as Bumi lifts Kya in the air a little too high during the music's climax and earns a hard slap on top of his balding head.
It's a good night, she thinks.
Korra leans back on the counter as the song ends, grabbing a drink Tenzin ordered for her when they first arrived. She didn't know what it was, only that it tasted like fruit, and was reminded of one of Katara's old tales when they visited an iceberg in the middle of the desert and had fruit smoothies served in ice cups. The cups in the club were made of glass, of course, but the drink was cold and frosted on the edge and did well to ward off the heat that was stifling from all the bodies in the room. She sips at her drink and looks back at Tenzin, who is still in the same slouched state she saw him when the song began. Jumping from her seat, she walks over to her master as another round of hollering laughter comes from the dance floor.
"Come on, Tenzin, lighten up!" she smiles, taking a seat beside him. "Live a little; have a drink! The night isn't getting any younger."
Tenzin rubs his forehead before speaking. "Honestly, I don't know what Bumi was thinking, bringing us to a vulgar place like this, dressed in his uniform, no less."
"But there are tons of people from the United Forces here," Korra says, motioning her hand to all the officers around them. "And it's just a jazz club. I don't see what the big deal is."
"Maybe you don't, but as a member of the city's council it would be unwise for me to be seen in a place like this; drinking and dancing. I should have left when I had the chance."
"There you are!"
Korra turns just as Kya steps in front of them, sweaty and hot from the rounds of dancing she and Bumi had done. She leans between them with a hand on each of their chairs with a half-cocked smile on her face.
"What are you two doing all the way over here?"
"He's being a stubborn elephant-rhino," Korra says, pointing her thumb at Tenzin. "Won't even have something to drink because this place is too 'inappropriate'."
Kya laughs, turning to Korra. "Don't worry; he's always been like this. The only way we'll get alcohol in him here is if we serve it to him with the Earth King's cup."
"Kya, please." Tenzin says, his head lowered in annoyance. Kya's grin widens as she slaps him on the back with a laugh ripping from her throat.
"Oh, cheer up, you old coot!" she says, waving down the barkeeper. "Hey you! Two glass of whatever's in that bottle for me and my no good brother over here!"
"Kya, I'm not-"
She shoves the glass in his face.
"Oh come on, Tenzin. This club has the good stuff! I wouldn't lie to you, would I?"
He crosses his arms.
"You have in the past."
"That was when we were kids! Now drink up, Bumi wants you on that dance floor in two minutes."
Korra watches as Kya returns to the dance floor, and turns back to Tenzin, who is taking small sips of his newly-bought drink.
"Your sister sure is upbeat." she says, grinning.
"She's always been that way, Bumi as well."
"So why are you such a stick in the mud?"
"I'm not-" Tenzin sighs, his face suddenly turning cold as he puts his drink on the table. Korra leans in, worried by her master's change in demeanor. The band starts another song and he waits a while before speaking as the melody fills the room. Thinking, his finger fumble with the edges of the glass.
"When I learned I was an airbender I knew my father would expect me to carry on his heritage. Ever since his passing I've tried to be serious and display the Airbender race in a proud and dignified fashion."
"Even in a jazz club?" she asks, her brow pinching together in confusion. "Don't you think that's a little much?"
"I am who I am, Korra." he says, and takes a sip of his drink. "Perhaps one day you will understand."
Korra pouts, resting her arm on the counter as she glances across the bar.
She doesn't get it. Not really.
"Hey! Tenzin!" Bumi shouts from the dance floor, slapping his backside at his younger brother. "Get your sorry arrow over here!"
Tenzin rolls his head once before shifting off the seat. "Let's get this over with."
He leaves for the dance floor and a few moments later Kya slides into his vacant seat. Her eyes dart around the room for a second, making sure the coats is clear as she takes a small flask from beneath the folds of her clothes.
"What is that concoction?" Korra asks, raising her brow at Kya.
"Just a little something we make in the foggy-swamp; moonshine with a hint of cactus juice." she says, pouring it into Tenzin's drink and giving it a whirl to mix it together. She hands the flask to Korra, who gives it a quick sniff and sip. It's not strong in odor or taste, but something about it that makes her head spin around the room for a moment.
Must be that cactus juice, she thinks, shaking the effects off quickly and hand the drink back to Kya.
"Is it illegal?"
"Only if you know you're drinking it." Kya winks, tucking the flask into her clothes. Korra leans back in her seat and cracks a grin at the older woman.
"So you're trying to get your brother drunk."
"We just want to get him a little tipsy, is all." she says. "That hardhead is such a buzz-kill sometimes; he really needs to loosen up."
Korra's head shakes.
"Tell me about it."
"Well, this'll change things soon enough." Kya says, leaning over the back of her seat to give Bumi a signal from across the room.
-.-
He gives Tenzin a push-off the floor.
"Alright, that's enough for now, little brother."
Tenzin almost trips, but steadies himself soon enough, brushing down his robes as he walks back to his seat. Kya slides out from the bar and takes a seat next to Korra. She pinches her lips, trying to suppress a grin. Tenzin sees her and lifts his brow.
"Is something funny?" he asks.
"No," she says, shaking her head. "Nothing."
He sits down, leaning on the bar top once again. His hand grazes his drink and he takes it begrudgedly, drinking its mysterious contents without a second thought. Korra leans into the counter, eyeing her master with anticipation. Noticing her, he sets the drink down.
"What?"
"Uh, nothing. Sorry." She says, rubbing her hand on the counter as she grabs for her own drink.
Tenzin hums, an eye still on Korra as he raises the glass to his lips to take a slow swig. Then his eyes narrow and he stops, the edge hovering below his lip as he swallows the rest slowly, smacking his tongue a few times to test the air. Kya looks at her brother with an owlcat's smile etched on her aging face. Tenzin puts the glass on the table for the third time that night.
"Is something wrong?"
"Kya, what did you put in this?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You put something in my drink." He says, his voice stern. "Now tell me what it was."
Kya shrugs. "I didn't do anything."
Tenzin exhales slowly as he faces the bar again. He raises his hand to call the barkeep, ordering another drink to take place of the old one. Korra frowns at the sight of her master in such a gloomy and solemn state and opens her mouth to speak when Kya grabs her shoulder and spins the chair to face her.
"Come on kid, let's hit the floor."
-.-
The music is even louder away from the bar; the call of bass-strings, trumpet, saxophone, trombone and piano echo throughout the room and Korra's ears fill to the brim with the music, shaking her body with the sound of the city's nightlife. Kya leads her through the pulsing crowd and eventually they find Bumi in a swarm of his fellow officers, swinging his legs gleefully as he dances to the music's beat. He and the other officer notice them straight away and Bumi converges on the two women, still dancing with the group.
"Hey, Kya!" Bumi yells, his voice muffled by the music. "Did you get him to loosen up a bit?"
"He realized something was up right away." Kya says. "I don't think it worked."
"There are other ways," he grins, his eyes shifting over the crowd. "We just need to-"
"Woo-hoo!"
The voice is one they recognize in an instant and the trio stops, their heads spinning around the room as it disappears into the mass of people and noise. Korra follows Kya and Bumi as they slide through the mob, reaching for the edge of the crowd as they scan for him. Korra look with them, but can't see hide or tail of her master.
He's not by the bar, she thinks, He's tall and red with a huge arrow on his head. It shouldn't be this hard to-
"There he is!" she hears Bumi call out and Korra has to stand on her toes to see through the bodies, her eyes honing in on his tattooed-
-he's wearing a hat.
"Come on, man. Gimmie back my hat!" another man shouts, jumping up and down in a vain attempt to retrieve his headwear. Tenzin lifts his chin high in the air, keeping it out of the man's reach.
"Tenzin!" Kya shouts. "What are you doing?"
"I'm protecting my head from the sun." he says and he raises a shaking finger to one of the club's spotlights. It's facing away from them.
"What are you - hold on." Kya says as her hand go into her clothes. She digs around a little before pulling out two flasks. She holds them up to her ears, shaking them both and handing one to Bumi.
"Try this."
Bumi takes a drink and hands the flask back to Kya. Korra manages to get the hat off Tenzin's head, giving it back to the man who glares at Tenzin as he marches to the bar.
"Whoa!" Bumi says, stumbling backwards with his arms out in front of him. He regains his balance and stands there, blinking slowly. Suddenly, he shakes his head, and looks at Kya.
"You gave him the wrong one." He says, rubbing his eyes. "That's the stronger batch."
Kya curses under her breath as Tenzin begins to sway to the music, almost knocking Korra to the ground in the process. She puts a hand on his back, trying to stop him from running into everyone surrounding them. Kya and Bumi put a hand on his elbows and lead him off the floor. Korra trails behind.
"What do you mean you gave him 'the wrong one'?" she asks.
"I have two flasks; one mild and strong." Kya explains. "The one I gave him has more cactus juice in it; he's probably seeing stars right now."
"So what do we do?"
"This isn't the first time he's had cactus juice. And that wasn't pretty." Bumi says. "We gotta him out of here, get him home. Before he makes a fool of himself."
"I'll get a cab." Korra says, running ahead and out the door. She reaches the curb and can still hear the night music as the cab pulls up. And a thought races over her mind as she watches Tenzin's siblings lead him to the car door.
How were they going to explain this to Pema…
:Fin:
Writing this one was a challenge with the multiple characters and the fact that we don't know Kya and Bumi too well yet (hopefully I wrote them well). I don't really like how it's written right now, but that's the writer part of me talking, I suppose it reads well enough for now.
((Also, the title lost its meaning half-way through the fic but I like it so it sticks.))
Leave a Comment! I'd love to know what you thought of this. :)