A/N:

Well, can't really call this a drabble series anymore considering the length of this installment. Oh well.


You've never really worried too much about your appearance before. Back home in the Southern Water Tribe you were kept pretty isolated, so the opportunity to compare yourself to anyone else didn't come up very often.

But overall, you were satisfied. Your body was strong and capable of doing the things that you needed it to do, so you didn't see why anything else should matter.

Then you came to Republic City. The first thing you noticed was that you looked different from everyone else. There were other people from the Water Tribes, sure, but their clothes weren't traditional like yours, and most of them sported some practical or current hairstyle.

You stood out and you loved it that way. You knew that you caught people's eye as they passed you in the street. You knew that people would watch you fighting with the Fire Ferrets, or standing at a podium giving a speech as the Avatar, with utter amazement. You were something new and interesting to them. You figured that being "new" and "interesting" were exceptional qualities to possess.

You were always satisfied when you looked in the mirror.

Until today.


You've just stepped out of the shower. You pull on the set of clean clothes you brought and make your way up to Bolin and Mako's apartment. Bolin had invited you up to dinner after a particularly brutal Fire Ferret practice and you'd instantly agreed. Your stomach is already rumbling.

You burst through their apartment door and loudly kick it shut behind you in order to announce your presence. Mako doesn't spare you a glance from where he's standing in the brother's threadbare kitchen, but Bolin is already patting the cushion next to him where he's sitting on the couch.

You plop down next to the earthbender and rub your stomach in exaggerated circles. "When's dinner? I'm starving."

"Me too," Bolin says in agreement, stretching his arm over his head and then casually slinging it across the back of the couch. His forearm brushes your neck and you shiver a little. "I hope Mako's not attempting to 'cook' tonight. His last attempt was disastrous."

The firebender gives his brother a golden eyed glare, but you catch the fondness in it. Their bond is strong. You feel a sharp pang in your chest. You never had a sibling, but you always wanted one.

There's a knock on the door and then Mako is stumbling over his own two feet in order to open it. "Coming!"

You snort and Bolin snickers beside you.

Then she walks through the door and suddenly your entire evening that you had thought would be just between you and your boys has been ruined.

"Sorry!" Asami exclaims, holding up the bags of takeout. "There was a line." She turns her head, a sunny smile on her face, but her eyes widen a bit when she spots you. "Korra! I didn't know you were going to be here!"

You nearly roll your eyes but manage to refrain. "Surprise," you say drily.

"It's a good surprise," Asami says sweetly, handing the bags to Mako. He begins to take out the food and sort it out onto plates and as he does Asami gives his shoulders a squeeze.

You about vomit right then and there.

Bolin's fingers are dancing across your shoulder, trying to get your attention. You turn your face to him and he starts to eagerly discuss his favorite new show on the radio and you listen because it's the right thing to do, because you really do like Bolin even if his brother has the annoying ability to bury himself underneath your skin.

Then he's tugging playfully at a lock of your hair, still wet from your shower, and you find yourself giggling. He smiles, looking extremely pleased with himself, but before he can say anything else Mako is calling, "Food!"

You stand up and make a beeline for the makeshift kitchen table when Asami flips her long, raven hair over her shoulder and announces that she's going to go "wash up". Mako's eyes follow her with such adoration that it makes your stomach queasy. What does she have that you're obviously sorely lacking?

"Me too," you say before you can properly think the statement through. Then you're following Asami into the brothers' tiny bathroom.

The gorgeous girl is washing her hands and humming to herself, but she straightens up and gives you a bright smile when you close the bathroom door behind you. "How was practice?" she asks, genuine interest in her voice.

"Fine," you manage, crossing your arms over your chest. That's when you notice her eyes for the first time. They're green, but not the calming, earthy green that you'd begun to associate with Bolin, but a bright, almost eerie green that you've never seen on another human being before. They're also calculating and catlike and you realize for the first time that this girl is not all that she seems.

Asami turns the water off, dries her hands, and then begins to dig through a small bag that she'd brought with her. She pulls out a tube of what you assume is mascara and begins to swipe a coat over her already lengthy eyelashes.

"You know, Korra, your eyes are so pretty, you should really try some eyeliner to make them pop."

"That's okay," you reply automatically. You're pretty helpless with makeup, but you've also never felt the need to wear it either.

Asami shrugs, caps the lid back onto the tub, then leaves, smiling cheerfully the whole time.

Too cheerfully.

You move to wash your hands, suddenly irritated with yourself because you could already be out there chowing down, when you notice that Asami left her makeup bag.

Well, you can't deny that you've always been a bit of a curious Avatar.


When you first walk out you know you've failed when Asami's green eyes widen in horror.

"Erm, Korra? I don't think that's your best shade…"

Mako chokes on his noodles. Bolin, to his credit, manages to school his face into a neutral expression, but you can see the twitch of his mouth where he's trying not to laugh.

You're suddenly overwhelmed with the need to hightail it back to the bathroom, but something inside of you digs in its stubborn heels.

You grab a plate of food with more vehemence than necessary and take your seat. Asami still looks horror struck, but Mako is openly staring at you now. "Korra," he says, one eyebrow raised, "you look ridiculous."

You snap. You slowly stand up, giving Mako the most demure smile you can manage, and slink right up to him. He looks uneasy and fidgets in his seat, looking at you out of the corner of his eye. Without warning you grab his face and lay a big kiss onto his cheek, making a smacking noise as you pull away.

"There," you say, completely satisfied at his shell-shocked expression and quickly reddening face. "Now you look ridiculous, too."

There's a big, dark lip print on his cheek from the lipstick that you'd put on.

Bolin is roaring with laughter and Asami is laughing with a hand over her mouth. You strut back to your seat and sit back down.


Bolin is with you outside of the training center. The stars are bright overhead.

Mako had stormed into the bathroom after you'd kissed him and had come back out moments later, cheek nearly raw from where he'd scrubbed off the lip print. You'd smirked at him throughout the rest of dinner.

He and Asami were both still upstairs. Asami had given you a goodbye hug, but Mako wouldn't even look at you, he was so angry.

You'd thought that annoying him would've made you happy, but for some reason you can't help but feel frustrated. You're not sure why.

Bolin gently takes your elbow and you look up at him. He's looking down at your face, finally washed clean, and you notice once again how different (better) his green eyes are compared to Asami's.

"Look, I just want you to know that you don't need all that girly makeup or anything," he says, and the honestly in his voice makes your chest swell. He shifts his weight between his feet. "I mean, 'cause you know, you're already pretty and don't need it, and stuff." His words fumble out of his mouth and you can see his blush even though it's dark.

You smile and hug him, tell him you'll see him tomorrow, and then leave.


When you get home you look in the mirror. Despite Bolin's words, you don't feel pretty anymore.


A/N #2:

A popular fan theory right now is that Asami is secretly working for the Equalists, which would be epic, so I tried to incorporate a little bit of that into this piece.

Also, have come to the conclusion that Mako/Korra are Ron/Hermione 2.0, and this realization pleases me greatly since now I think I have a full comprehension on how to write them.

Anyway, thoughts?