I only tend to write when I'm drunk.
Hence the many inappropriate uses of ","
Apologies.
I'm drunk again.
5 years ago
Asami sighed as she dropped another bill into the tumbler at the end of the bar and ordered her fourth drink of the night. It was barely eleven and she was bored, forced to hang around until midnight where she would be required to thank the organizations, the event planners and give away the main award a cheque for 200, 000 Yuans since Sato Industries was the largest benefactor of the annual Republic City Metropolitan Museum of Art Charity Auction. And although she had a soft spot for classical paintings – Asami had a lovingly kept Tun Er situated in her condo office – being forced to rub shoulders surrounded by snooty snobbish critics, cadgey and mortally depressing artists who clasped onto the cache of uber rich socialites begging them to drop money over the "hottest" ink calligraphy of the season was grating… Smoothing out the wrinkle in her black evening dress she decided to wonder around the exhibit by herself with her double whisky, walking deliberately out of the line of sight of a rather leery looking middle aged man who was making eyes at her backside. Her father as usual had asked her to attend on his behalf. Despite the last ten years, the memories of his late wife's love for the museum was still too hard to reopen. Asami recalls an evening as a child, watching and "helping" her mother with the make up for the Charity Auction while her father smiles fondly at the both of them seated side by side on the vanity. She closes her eyes as she inhales the alcohol to slightly dampen the sharp nostalgic stab. Yasuko was the one who truly loved art, her father did too but with the engineering mechanical mind of looking for lines, spaces, light, textures, materials he preferred large sculpted pieces or functional and simple carvings that blended with the furniture. But Yasuko was the one who introduced Asami to Fire Nation styles, the Earth impressionist, Water Tribe patterns, Air Nation temple carvings and the beauty of silent, contemplative appreciation.
She wondered around the curated room and came across some portraits up for bidding in the second display. She was walking to the end of the room where the crowds were thinner when a rather somber, blue grey gaze in those far away eyes of a woman seated deliberately on the edge of a well seemed to peer back at her. Sun Hang, "Girl, seated at well" she read and made a mental note to look out for the artist.
"She's gorgeous huh?" A cool rather arrogant drawl came up behind her. Turning around she was faced with the purple eye gleam of a rather pale looking man. His black floppy hair was set purposefully at an angle and the dark leather jacket no doubt was meant to suggest the swoon of a wild and carefree artist.
Asami made a non-committal noise.
"Not as gorgeous as you." He finished. Inwardly Asami resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I'm Tahno." He flourished with his hands. "Bit more of a watercolourist myself but y'know once you find a muse…" He suggested with his greasy smile, "I can do anything with my hands."
"Is that right?" She asked playfully, two can play at this game, "How about you fetch me another drink?" She smirked.
Tahno grinned. "What can I get you?"
"Surprise me."
He turned around with a wink over his shoulder heading back towards the bar, Asami held down the urge to gag. Greasy piece of sh-
When Tahno was a few feet away she decided to make the break she was hoping for and was about to turn the corner and view the other paintings when the harsh whispered beginnings of an argument she was certain she was not meant to hear floated in her direction.
"Bataar, I told you this is a prior-" A woman's deep testy tones slipped under the crowd's voices behind them.
"Fuck priorities! Do you not think I have better things to be doing? My mother specially asked us to be here."
"Yes. And your mother also happens to be my boss on this case so I need to return to the office to sort-"
Bataar? That sounded familiar. Wait…Bataar Sr is dad's architect consultant- She froze half a second too long and sensing perhaps they were not alone the couple seemed to pause in the middle of their conversation and trailed off a little. Asami held her breath, she was caught, either way she felt foolish and a little guilty and looking back she could see Tahno readying himself with two drinks in hand. Closing her eyes she gritted her teeth bracing herself for the clinging, arrogant, self absorbed mess that would be Tahno, she had got herself into.
"So that's where you got to! Sorry, should have told you I was over here!"
She opened her eyes and saw the ocean. For a moment she was struck by how they seemed to crash around her and only her. And all at once the waves seem to recede to show warm brown features and a crooked wide smile.
"Oh, and you got us drinks!" The woman who seemed to possess the sea within her body turned with energy and plucked them out of Tahno's hands.
Tahno blinked and opened his mouth just as she half shouted, half exclaimed.
"Thank you!" And steering both herself and Asami around him without a pause of breath inbetween she started chatting as if they were in the middle of a conversation.
"So I was like, hey you know what, definitely up for some art tonight and can you imagine I even got myself kitted out in this suit! Course they said formal dress but this is pretty formal for my lot." She motioned at her overalls. Overalls? "And then there's booze here! Talk about classy." They were walking with a purpose in their step towards the bar but suddenly Asami was swung left through a corridor, right behind some frames and then straight up some make shift steps. Asami suddenly found herself in a little curtained off section where the crowd chatting had been silenced by the heavy black curtains. She was standing upon wires crisscrossed with yellow caution tape at her feet and a few empty water bottles laid around. Stage papers and a random staff t-shirt was tossed over a chair. They were behind the stage where the soundcrew and museum staff had set up for the evening.
"Phew. So er sorry to kidnap you. I mean not kidnap. Kind of kidnap. But truth! Not to be like creepy or you know but I saw you kind of stuck and thought you needed a hand." Asami still didn't know what to say, she was still a little loss from the tsunami of blue that filled her vision a few seconds ago.
Ocean eyes took this as a bad sign so she kept babbling. "I was just fixing a stray wire and I saw you and you looked pretty uncomfortable with that gogegg. I mean you're pretty but he didn't have to try that." She rolled her eyes and a hand went up to rub behind her neck and she flushed a little smiling back a little nervously. Asami blinked. Was this the same force of nature that had just seemed to sweep to her rescue? All of a sudden the woman seemed to change into a flustered teen. "That couple were also not happy – can you believe they were there for half an hour? I mean that was why I was kind of stuck, see they were blocking the exit so I was about to slide under and get outta there when I saw you walking up. But you know we're not meant to be seen by the guest cause the bosses don't like that. They kind of think it ruins the night ambience or whatever. So do you mind not mentioning how I've been walking about to my boss? I mean I'm sure you won't but just in case. Oh and if you like Sun Hang check out his friend's painting she's really good and I met her when I was travelling she's been doing a Masters in Air Nation –"
"Asami."
"Er- What?"
"My name is Asami."
"Oh! Um. Korra" She stuck out a brown warm hand.
"Thanks for saving me." Asami shivered internally slightly, she didn't know what Korra did with wiring and lighting if she worked here but those hands were calloused.
"No problem. Anyways like I said if you don't mention it to my boss – cause I kind of need this gig and it's like not the first time he's tried to catch me when I'm wondering about the gallery."
"Don't worry about it." Asami smiled sincerely. And was she imagining it but Korra blushed harder when she smiled?
"Anyways I'm sure you got some fancy friends to get back to tonight."
Asami shrugged. "I was actually trying to avoid the crowd until the award ceremony." She waved her hands to answer Korra's unasked question, "It gets a little tiring."
Korra nodded, "Yeah that's understandable, I like art but I don't want to have to spend the whole night pretending to like art." She grinned. And Asami found herself smiling back.
"Which one are you waiting for?" Korra said finally tipping back her drink. She grimaced. "Urgh…who the tell gets sex on the beach in shots?!" She groaned.
Asami chuckled, "Obviously Tahno." They laughed and Korra swept a few things off a chair to offer Asami a seat.
"The last one of the evening for best emerging artist." Asami said sitting down.
"Oh, cool. Well." Korra rubbed her hands. "I'm excited for that one too, loads of big names there!"
"You follow the scene?"
"Kind of. Just y'know this year, I guess?" She shrugged her shoulders and knelt down rearranging some cabling.
"I guess it helps what with working in a museum."
"Oh you have no idea!" Korra's eyes lit up. "I'm actually a security guard but they let me swap my shift for tonight cause of the event."
"You're a security guard?" Asami said, a little skeptical, Korra stood a few inches shorter then her. She'd seen the security guards when they had entered the building, they were…one of a kind.
"Hey! I'm good at guarding things and art!" Korra said playfully pretending to be pull a manly face and flexing in a strong man pose. Was it Asami's imagination or did the straps of her work overalls slightly stretched? Nope, it was the alcohol, definitely the alcohol.
"Alright I believe you." She smiled. "So what does a security guard get up to during the day?"
"I work at a meditation collective center. It's great fun! You should come and see, we got yoga classes as well." Korra's face suddenly got very serious. "But like do not bring any meat or animal products in at all! Like if you have leather sandals that's a no-no."
"I'm guessing you're not a vegetarian."
"You are? I mean, got nothing against them." Korra said brushing her hands and hopping to sit on a crate. "Just they got really fussy when I bought meat in to feed my dog. Tenzin had to explain to the super hardcore that we can't force our beliefs on non-consenting animals."
"KORRA!" Someone suddenly stumbled in causing both of them to jump. A very bulky looking young man covered from head to toe in some kind of stripey black material with two large muscular arms flailing around was tripping over the cables, "I'M STUCK IN TAPE AGAIN HELP MEEEEEEEE." He moaned from the floor. From above, Bolin looked like a mummy, wrapped up in black masking tape with bits of paper, fluff and was that a napkin? Stuck to him.
"Bolin! Stay still." Korra leapt off and rummaged around her pockets for a cutter.
Asami stood up and assessing the problem, she gently pressed a hand to Bolin's chest.
"Bolin?" She said.
"Yeah?" The forlong voice replied.
"I'm just going to tear off this bit. Ok?"
"Ok!"
She ripped it off in one and Bolin squealed. The tape taking off a little of his facial hair and arm hair as well.
They all paused for a second and then burst out laughing, magically the masking tape was all stuck together in one piece from her tear and Asami pondered how that was possible since in the laws of physics didn't seem to apply all of a sudden. Alcohol. Definitely the alcohol. She thought again as Korra rolled up her sleeves and she caught a glance at some very muscular forearms.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" The man said hopping up and giving Asami a very engulfing hug. "Took Korra and me an hour last time to get out of it!" He said.
"Bolin, this is like, what the third time this week?" Korra said picking up stray bits trying to tidy up.
"I'm sorry Korra." The green eye man grinned. "Anyways, who are you?"
"Oh, I'm Asami. Nice to meet you." She held out her hand
"Bolin, rescued by Asami, at your service." He said with a small bow raising her hand above his head. Asami giggled. Korra arched an eyebrow.
"Hey buddy, aren't you meant to be prepping the stage for Opal?"
"Oh yeah but Sato doesn't have to get up there until…" He glanced at his watch. "CRAP!"
"What?!"
"5 minutes ago!" Bolin slapped his face. "CRAP CRAP CRAP. Tarlock is going to throw another fit at us."
"How did you miss that?!" Korra asked wide-eyed she sprang up, fumbling around the boxes, she hadn't set up the hanging mic yet.
"My ear piece fell out when I got stuck! How did you miss that?!"
"Er." Korra felt around her pockets and saw her missing earpiece… which seemed to be crackling angrily.
Asami watched as both of them started to spring about Bolin pulling his phone out and checking the messages. It was slightly comical watching the both of them.
"Asami-really sorry but I have to-"
"Sato."
"What?" Korra paused.
"Sato. My last name is Sato." Asami smiled. "And I'm sure your boss will be happy that you've found and escorted me to the stage."
Bolin's grin was large enough to light up the entire room he slid over and offered out his elbow. "If I may Miss Sato?"
"Thank you Bolin." He nodded and taking Korra's earpiece began mumbling into the attached microphone.
Korra smiled and sighed, rubbing a hand around her neck. "Phew! That was lucky."
"Right let's go!" Bolin said leading Asami back down the makeshift stairs.
"Oh and Korra?" Asami said, pausing throwing a look back over her shoulder. "I'm not a vegetarian but I know a really good sushi place down the road from here, if you ever want to go. My treat. As a thank you for saving me?"
She watched as Korra's smile spread as quickly across her tanned features as her blush.
"Sure!"
"I'll call you." Asami smiled. Bolin winked at her behind Asami's back before the both of them disappeared behind the thick black curtain to another entrance way to the stage. Korra slumped down on a box a little awestruck…before leaping back up again. She had sat on the tape.