A/N: Happy Valentine's Day and Happy soon-to-be Chinese New Year, my loves! Since there was a holiday this week and classes got cancelled, I finished the chapter on time rather than study for midterms next week! Woohoo! Here's to procrastination!
Chapter inspiration came from Depeche Mode. And as always, feedback of any kind is welcome and enjoy!
—-
With the week passing by in near incessant teasing between him and Korra, Tarrlok felt his willpower diminish into almost nothing with each 'accidental' glance she took. She claimed she was innocent, but the spark in those shimmering cerulean orbs told him otherwise. There was undeniably a plan she concocted in that devious mind of hers and despite all efforts in ceasing such provocative advances he couldn't help but remain frozen and watch like some sick voyeur.
He silently chanted the consequences, silently recalled Noatak's insipid voice from the previous week, but to no avail. Every minute detail he formed in resisting her was effectively wiped from his mind when she waltzed into the room with twinkling eyes quietly mocking him. Only after her sly attempts, did he reprimand himself. A thirty-seven year old man, broken down by lust by the hands of a mere teenager. Pathetic.
Noatak took a particular observation in his behavior and could only shake his head in disappointment. It was sad, really. His brother knew him better than he did himself at times, and witnessing that impalpable disappointment felt like a hit to his stomach. But what bewildered Tarrlok was the fact that Noatak seemed to take particular entertainment in watching Korra subtly goad him into a frenzy.
And although the disgust from the previous week was still there, it diminished significantly since their inevitable talk. But that didn't stop him from being a normal brother and egged Korra on, encouraging her to repeat gestures, to repeat obscene jokes because he 'wasn't looking' or 'wasn't listening' he claimed. Of course, that only resulted in Tarrlok to not-so-discreetly glare at his teasing brother.
Tarrlok honestly didn't know how much longer he could handle this. He was itching to do something about it, but she always wiped any form of a plan from his mind with her own deceitful one.
His fingers shook with anger as he unlocked the front door. It was anger at himself that she was the one breaking him down, that she held the upper hand in easily diverting his attention.
Although Korra was getting bolder, Tarrlok had to give her praise for variety. It was namely that of dropping her pencil and bending just the right amount to see a flash of her toned posterior, massaging her aching neck with a faint sigh from finishing homework, stretching her body with a soft moan after lying on the sofa lazily, and provocatively licking her fingers free of icing from the leftover cake he brought home. There were numerous, yet smaller advances she took in catching his attention, but what truly got him to pause in his work, nearly giving her a double take, was the piece of erotica she blatantly read in his presence.
The familiar cover haunted him, mainly due to the novel that was supposed to be silently perched on his bookcase after years of disuse was now in her hands. The mere implication that Korra deliberately sifted through his belongings was what got him all too conscious of what she was doing.
Despite the cliches, the adult book was well written and at times were too raunchy even for his tastes, all revolving around the budding yet forbidden romance of a college professor and his student. Romantic plots and tactics wouldn't usually grab his attention, but he was curious, and he was on vacation. Tarrlok needed the time to relax, free of any politics, to unwind and settle with something different just to spice up the monotony. But that was exactly why Tarrlok was compelled to burn the book she was reading at the time. He didn't want her to get any ideas… well, any more ideas than she already has, in any case.
Merely opening the door and into the comfort of his estate, Tarrlok was hit with the delicious scent of sugary confections… And, of course, the deafening volume of Korra's typical taste in music. Predictably enough, it was something fast-paced, something familiar… but wait.
No.
A musical? Maybe to get into the beginnings of autumn's month of horror? It was already a week into October, after all. Whatever the reason, he hadn't heard the old songs in a long while. He was well acquainted with the singing voices coming from the television, only because the musical was shown in nearly every theater and cinema in his teenage years. From eccentric teenagers imitating the production, him and Noatak could recognize the songs in a heartbeat.
I've tasted blood and I want more. More, more, more!
Although slightly bewildered, the music in itself wasn't unusual, but what got his brows to furrow as he set aside his pointed, leather shoes in its designated corner was the rowdy bout of laughter coming from the kitchen. It was Korra's unabashed howls, as well as another, more modest feminine tone.
Tarrlok cautiously made his way to the threshold of the kitchen, slightly afraid to discover the mess he would inevitably have to clean up.
And then he saw it - her body mimicking the moves on the television screen as the movie played in the background, a freshly baked yet half eaten cookie in hand, all while her and her friend exaggeratedly sang along with the musical. Undoubtedly, the scene playing before his eyes was something he did not expect to come home to.
Thrill me, chill me, fulfill me. Creature of the night! They sang.
It wouldn't have taken a toll on his exhausted eyes, but his brain cells frayed from the long day in city hall, and witnessing her in those ridiculously scant shorts and baggy shirt was not what he needed implanted in his mind. Loosening his tie, Tarrlok cleared his throat.
"Rocky horror?" He questioned, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned against the wall.
"Spirits, Tar- dad! Warn a girl," Korra yelped, the panic radiating from her by the way she nearly slipped their apparent cover. "Wait, why're you late? Did you have a meeting?"
He glanced over her head to read the clock hanging on the wall, it was only nearly five. That was slightly surprising considering the amount of work he finished in city hall.
"My apologies, sweetheart. I didn't know you'd miss me that much. The city needed saving and yet again I'm evidently the only one on the council capable of doing so." Tarrlok complained passively. He walked past her, setting his keys on the countertop and hanging his satchel on the back of a chair, but he could feel her gaze following each move he made.
"Pft, and by that you mean, those old guys gave you all their work because they know how much of a workaholic you are…?" Korra guessed as she tapped her finger against her chin in thought.
"I am not," he denied patiently.
"Yeah, I'll believe that when pigs fly." She scoffed, swiveling on her bare feet and bending over to check the nearly finished batch of cookies in the oven. With the black shorts she sported, he was sure he'd get an eyeful, but Miss Sato was here, and that was exactly why he resisted the temptation to glance in her direction.
"Hello, Mr. Tarrlok." Korra's friend spoke up, wiggling her oily, slender fingers in greeting as she placed a ball of dough onto the baking sheet. He opened his mouth to reciprocate the greeting with a bow of his head, but Korra interrupted with a curse.
"Shit, erm, yeah, homecoming is tonight and Asami's gonna help me get ready. I kinda forgot to bring my phone with me to school, so I couldn't text you." She said sheepishly, grabbing a discarded oven mitt and braving a glance over her shoulder. He watched her scratch at the back of her neck with a small smile etched on her face.
"Do as you please, just don't make a mess." He said, pointedly glancing at the clutter on the counter.
"You're such a wet blanket." Korra pouted. Despite her feigned sad expression, he felt himself gravitating towards her, especially after she bent to grasp onto the scorching pan. There wasn't a single, coherent thought that formed at the tempting image.
Biting the inside of his cheek, Tarrlok cleared his throat once more, stripping himself of his coat and rasped, "Where's your uncle?"
"He said he'll be 'out for a few hours'." She mimicked his brother's gravelly voice, emphasizing her point with the use of air quotes.
"When did he leave?" Tarrlok queried as he leaned against the counter with arms folded across his broad chest, simply observing Korra scrape the baked cookies onto the plate while Miss Sato continued rolling the raw dough into little orbs.
"Like an hour ago..?" Korra shrugged disinterestedly. "I don't know he left a note," Korra pointed to the crumpled paper on the dining table with her spatula.
There were only two options Tarrlok thought of as to where his brother would go, either a bar with Shady Shin or he was meeting with old 'friends' that got both of them in that mess thirteen years ago. His brows furrowed, both assumptions were equally plausible, at any rate.
"Korra, we're out of cookie dough." Her friend breaks his thoughts while Korra moves about the kitchen and places the dirty pan and used utensils into the sink.
"That's fine. We have a lot so it should be plenty while we get ready." Korra dismisses with a wave of her hand, only for Miss Sato to nod and place the last batch of treats into the oven, beginning the long process of cleaning up.
As he leaned against the counter, the hard marble digging into his skin, Tarrlok watched as Korra bit into a tiny, freshly baked cookie. There was nothing suggestive in the act itself, if anything he would've labeled it as undignified with the way melted chocolate somehow ended up on her chin, but vivid blue eyes caught his and that stirring unconsciously began once again when he swore he saw the desire creep into those hypnotic irises.
"Wanna try, daddy? They're delicious," she innocently mumbled over the cookie in the mouth as she sauntered to his tensing form, offering the cookie that she just bit into.
Despite Tarrlok knowing she was doing this deliberately, the tingling sensation shot further down his body, threatening to manifest signs that would be rather unbecoming of a father figure. Once she stopped directly in front of his taut body, an idea fanned the flames in his mind. He had to consider this game as an uneven match, there was no balance in what they were doing to one another… But maybe that was the appeal.
Rather than remain frozen in his spot and allow her to toy with him further, Tarrlok took her wrist of the hand holding the last bit of the cookie in his long fingered grasp and watched in satisfaction when that cunning glint in Korra's eyes hastily melted away. Without breaking their intense gaze, she watched as he leaned down until his lips brushed against her fingers, visibly witnessing her unable to decide how to react.
Without warning, he released his firm grip on her wrist just in time for the Sato girl to turn around and leave their sensual interaction undetected. He took some gratification in watching her stare at him with wide eyes as he chewed thoughtfully.
"You're right, they are delicious. Thank you, sweetheart." He said with a smirk, pleasure coloring his voice as he pressed a quick kiss to her temple and walked away from her heated yet shocked gaze to sift through his satchel.
Korra had to take in the sight before her. Noatak was still gone and Tarrlok sat hunched over the coffee table as he continued working. It wasn't that that got her to pause before she strode into the living room with more confidence than she actually had, but how he looked.
He sat on the sofa, legs spread apart while his elbows were perched near his knees, a paper in one hand while the other twirled a pen. The plate of cookies she offered sat partially touched on the coffee table in front of him. There was nothing abnormal about the image she saw in the living room. Spirits, he even sported the same disheveled yet composed and comfortable appearance in his suit: tie loosened and the first button of his shirt undone, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
What's wrong with her? She must've been exceptionally horny to get the subtle pulsing in her body to begin from the mere sight of him, at any rate.
Taking a deep breath, Korra tightened her grasp on the neck of the bottle and sauntered past him.
"You're still working?" She asked as she placed the bottle on the countertop and opened the cabinet with wine glasses.
"Mhm," he hummed in confirmation disinterestedly. But with all the clinking of glasses with one another, his attention easily drifted from his papers to her stretched body.
Of course, Korra did this intentionally. With the extra short shorts and the baggy shirt that lifted a fraction as she stretched, she was hoping he'd watch her intently, even from his position on the sofa. And he did just that. It produced a tiny thrill in her that nearly manifested with a triumphant smirk curving her lips, but she refrained from letting it show. "What are you doing? And why do you have a bottle of wine?" He questioned with furrowed brows.
"Geez, relax, gramps. Have you never been a teenager before?" Korra accused, lacking the venom with the flash of mirth crossing her cerulean eyes as she popped the cork out of it's tight spot.
"Korra, you're underage. And isn't Miss Sato driving you to the little dance?" Tarrlok asked as she began pouring the red liquid into three wine glasses.
"So? We're not leaving for another few hours and it's not like we're gonna down the whole bottle… Besides, you didn't seem to have any issues with it when Noatak first came over." She shrugged nonchalantly and glanced at him over the bottle.
"I-That's besides the point." He stammered, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Then what exactly is your point?" Korra challenged, deftly holding all three glasses and sauntered to his increasingly tense body on the couch.
"Korra," he began.
"Dad," she mimicked his serious tone. That nickname sure got his attention judging from the way he glanced at her, watching her place one of the glasses near his plate of cookies on the coffee table.
"That better not come from my collection. Those cost me a small fortune." He weakly threatened while she moved behind him. Korra could feel the mixture of hesitancy and curiosity radiating from the taut man, and it only further intrigued her to push him to his limits.
Biting her lip, she bent down and loosely wrapped her arms around his neck, ascertaining the wine in her grasp wouldn't spill onto his tailored shirt, and almost allowed her body to manifest the pleasurable shiver that coursed through her veins.
"Calm down, it's Asami's." Korra whispered, making sure to have her lips graze the shell of his ear in the process. "Like I said, just relax." She pressed a light and provoking kiss to his cheek. Without waiting another second, Korra released him and skillfully swayed her hips as she walked away, knowing full well he was watching her with lust burning in those icy orbs.
—-
Korra never had a friend over to doll her up. The only experience she had with something somewhat similar to that was the caretakers at the orphanage making sure she was ready for school on time. But with Asami here - the two of them leisurely sprawled on the floor of her room with music softly playing in the background, her friend's box of beauty and hair products laid stacked in front of them, and Naga watching them with sleepy eyes from her spot on Korra's bed - she didn't know if the warmth she felt was from content or from actually having a friend that didn't want to use her for their benefit… or the fact that she was horny as all hell, but that's besides the point.
Staring at the red liquid in her grasp, Korra couldn't help the tiniest of smiles curve her lips. As much as she hated it, Korra's glad that the man downstairs adopted her… despite the complications with lust that's been brewing between them each passing day.
"Cheers to you making the volleyball team!" Asami cheered, raising her half filled wine glass to clink with Korra's.
"It's really not that big of a deal, Asami." Korra shrugged indifferently, meeting Asami's glass half way before the black haired beauty took a sip from her own and leaned back from her position on the floor.
It was something to celebrate over, but volleyball wasn't necessarily on her mind at the moment. Of course, that didn't mean she was not elated for making the team. And Asami was right when she first met her, the team did need all the help they could get, and it was unmistakingly going to be difficult in helping all the team members out without burning herself to a crisp from exhaustion.
Asami's face fell from a cheery smile to that of feigned boredom in a matter of seconds. "Fine, I take it all back. You can do your makeup and hair on your own." She threatened without any real venom, already sneaking a hand to grasp onto Korra's glass.
"No, no, no!" Korra moved her glass of wine out of Asami's reach playfully.
"That's what I thought." Asami giggled, perching her glass on the bedside table. Her viridian eyed friend wobbled on her knees as she made her way to Korra's back, running her fingers through her wavy hair. "Alright, hair up or down?" She queried.
"Down." Korra blurted with closed eyes as Asami rifled through her box of cosmetics.
"Anything specific for makeup?" She wondered. At the sound of her friend searching for whatever it was she was looking for, Korra cracked an eye open in curiosity. Spirits, she closed her eyes for a mere second and the rather intimidating display of all types of brushes splayed onto her floor magically appeared. Cerulean eyes widened further as she caught a glance into the container filled with makeup.
Letting out a nervous laugh, Korra scratched at the back of her head. "Surprise me. Out of the two of us, you're the expert." She shrugged.
"That's actually true." She agreed with a nod of her head. Within a matter of seconds, her viridian eyed friend abruptly tensed, nearly dropping a bottle of something called 'primer' from her grasp. "Question: do you have a thong?" Asami froze with more intensity than Korra had ever thought she would possess.
"Asami!" She whined with a growing blush.
"What? It's an actual question. And don't act so shocked, I know what goes on in that dirty mind of yours, pervert." Asami defended with amusement laced in her voice, propping her hands sassily on her hips.
Korra let out a suffering sigh, feeling her blush grow even hotter on her face, but she couldn't help crack the tiniest of smiles and practically glare at her friend. "Yeah, I do." She muttered grumpily.
"Wear it, you don't want ugly panty lines with the dress you're wearing, especially if Mr. Nobody's gonna see you." Asami continued on, happily and deliberately ignoring Korra's discomfort with a knowing smirk growing across her beautiful face.
"Spirits," she groaned, nearly face-palming in dread, but was stopped from doing so by the soft touch of Asami's fingertips swiping over her skin… and the weirdly smooth goop that spread easily.
"He will be seeing you tonight, right?" Asami questioned as Korra closed her eyes at the soothing touch.
"Mhm," Korra hummed in confirmation, no need to further elaborate.
"By the way, how is that going? You haven't said anything about it since you asked me. Any news?" The black haired beauty queried as she grasped onto one of the several brushes and swept cool, light liquid over her skin.
"Well… Good news or bad news first?" Korra cracked an eye open. It wasn't necessarily terrible news that was hitting her in the ass, but Asami already helped her this far, so talking to her wouldn't hurt, right? As long as she doesn't slip up, everything would be fine. Hopefully.
"Good," Asami blurted.
"To put it bluntly, he's taking the bait, maybe even accepting it to another level…" Korra thought aloud, tapping her fingertip in an unspoken rhythm on the delicate glass as her other hand hugged a pillow within her vicinity. It was specifically that of nearly an hour ago when he ate the last of her cookie from her grasp. Spirits, the way his lips grazed her fingertips, the predatory look on his face, all of it almost brought another thrill of shivers through her veins.
"Hey, didn't I say men like a dominant woman?" Asami said triumphantly.
"Yeah, he definitely likes it judging from the looks he's been giving me." She spoke up matter-of-factly. Korra recalled their interactions over the week, watching his face quickly yet discreetly change from his usual composed demeanor to one of hunger when she toyed with him. Undoubtedly, it was fun, but intentionally trying to break that poised facade of his to get him riled up into a frenzy was definitely not something she expected to actually work, something that would actually get him to reciprocate in.
"Then what's the bad news?" The beauty asked warily as she blotted powder onto her face and deftly filled in Korra's brows.
"Well, as expected, I feel like an idiot when I'm trying to do anything remotely sexy or subtle." She mumbles, tightening her hold on one of the many throw pillows that fell from her bed. Sure it was working, but it doesn't change the fact that she feels silly when she does something that crosses the safety border and into risque territory.
"Don't sweat it. With a little practice, you could have him begging in a matter of seconds." Asami encouraged, flipping her hair back over her shoulder and pulled away to inspect her work on Korra's brows.
"Really?" Korra asked incredulously, glancing at her friend doubtfully. She could see it happening with her friend… but herself? Korra's surprised that this was even working at all, considering her lack of subtlety and seduction skills, but to have him begging. Nahh! That would never happen with Korra.
As much as she would love to have that happen, Korra seriously doubts it would ever come to that point between her and Tarrlok. She'd probably lose all sense of self-restraint, as well as he would too, if she teased and toyed with him to near insanity.
"Yeah, you want me to help you?" Asami suggested with a shrug of her shoulder, a growing smile as she met Korra's gaze.
She was hesitant. "Erm… sure..? If it isn't too much to ask." Korra agreed cautiously. Of course, she'd be reluctant to do this, it's only been a week since she put this provocative plan into action. At this rate, she had a feeling one of them would break soon. Whether it was her or Tarrlok, Korra did not know. But she did know that she was absolutely sure she wasn't ready for any sort of confrontation with the man.
"I'm guessing you two haven't done much if you've been asking me?" Asami drawled in question as she picked up another brush and a palette filled with neutral colors.
"Yeah, just teasing." Korra spoke up and closed her eyes before her friend brushed a light shadow over her lids.
"So… you guys haven't kissed yet?" Asami asked with a teasing glint in her pleasant voice.
Korra kept quiet for a few moments, thinking over the two times her and Tarrlok nearly kissed. Why did Noatak have to walk in? Why did that group of tourists have to interrupt, laughing like no tomorrow? "Erm, well, we were about to… twice." She said almost inaudibly.
"Korra! And you deprived me of this information!" Asami smacked her shoulder playfully with a mouth wide open. Korra flinched in response and nearly spilt her glass of wine as she held up her hands in defense. Naga on the other hand propped her head up in alert at the sound.
"It's not all rainbows, Asami! Why do you think I've been asking you for advice?" Korra laughs as she smacks her friend in the arm with the pillow pressed against her front.
With her jaw dropped in amusement and shock, Asami laughed at Korra's expression and held her hands up. "Okay, okay, well, where to begin? Since you two are practically starting out, learn more about his preferences. Like if he mentioned anything of a particular fantasy, tease him about it, then later on, play it out. You know, turn him on, surprise him." She said smoothly, finishing the wash of light eyeshadow under Korra's eye.
Korra listened to her in awe, slightly amazed at this profound side of Asami she only saw an inkling of the last time she asked her about love advice. "Hmm," she hummed in thought.
"What?" Her friend asked curiously and began her work with a thin wing of eyeliner.
Korra shrugged faintly, careful to stay frozen under Asami's steady hand. "Just thinking if he'd like some things I have in mind." A smile quirked on her lips.
She assumed Asami was waiting for her to continue, but Korra remained stubbornly quiet. Instead, she thought of ways that could reduce the man undoubtedly still working to a pleasurable mess. He was already responding to her, considering their age gap and their roles within the family, so maybe along the lines of something taboo. Was that what he preferred? She reasoned he did have that book about a professor and his college student. And that was hard enough to read through the sex scenes with a burning blush next to him or laying in his lap… decisions, decisions.
But with a click of her tongue, Asami pondered the silence between them. "You're not going to elaborate?"
"Nope." Korra smiled in satisfaction as Asami finished one eye with a flick of her wrist.
"C'mon, Korra." Asami whined, sitting back on her feet and grasped onto her glass to take a sip of the wine.
"Nope." Korra repeated smugly, taking a sip of her own drink as Asami glared at her over the rim and nearly let out a growl of frustration. Well, that is until Korra easily dodged a pillow that her friend aimed at her head.
Gasping in astonishment, Korra perched her glass of wine on her bedside table and prepared for the battle she was not going to lose.
Laughter was heard from her room and Tarrlok had never been so terribly curious of what the two could be talking about. He had an inkling it had to do with him, but maybe he was just paranoid. Little yelps were heard every so often, and the following bouts of laughter had his eyes shifting in the direction of the stairs with interest. It's not his place to be so overly curious. He's supposed to be her father, not her overprotective partner.
Spirits, why was he thinking about this?
Dropping the paper in his grasp and rubbing his hands over his exhausted face, Tarrlok let out a sigh. It had been a long day and listening to those mocking laughs and feeling those provoking kisses and deliberately playing out a teasing line with her was nearly enough for him to hunch over the table in taut frustration, the vague warmth pulsing through his veins.
Standing from his spot on the sofa, Tarrlok took a deep inhale and grabbed his lighter and pack of cigarettes. He needed to be away from those shrieks of mirth, away from the circling image of Korra's dress that she deliberately hid from his inquisitive eyes.
Tarrlok strode out to the backyard, perching himself on the edge of a table in thought as he distractedly switches his lighter to spark a flame and lights a cigarette until it's butt glows orange in the dim outdoors. The sun was almost completely out of sight, the lingering pink and purple hues still present while the darkness of night came to bathe the city with stars and a crescent moon.
A crescent moon. Tarrlok recalled a disturbingly quiet night in his youth. Both he and Noatak sat in silence outside on the wooden swing their father built when they were mere children, before their father turned into a monster. He remembered feeling disgusted at the sight. Granted, almost everything his father touched got Tarrlok to shiver with aversion. As the brothers gazed out at the crescent moon, he remembered feeling his muscles loosen after too long being taut, the occasional tremor shaking him to the core from the repeated strikes.
Shaking himself of the horrid memory, Tarrlok averts his eyes to his garden. It's already in the past, he shouldn't be thinking about such sufferings when he was surrounded by his lavish lifestyle.
Breathing in the nicotine loosened his tense muscles. Every breath he took he felt more at ease, well, more at ease than he normally could with Korra's blatant flirting and Noatak's general presence that only repeatedly reminds him of that dreadful night.
Closing stinging eyes, Tarrlok exhaled a cloud of smoke, allowing the cooling wind to brush his smooth skin. He was determined to feel as relaxed as he could, considering he hadn't obtained a night like that in too long.
He sat there for what felt like an hour, but in reality, it was only a mere few minutes. Finishing up his cigarette, Tarrlok pressed the remaining bits into an ashtray nearby, feeling his body react to the nicotine in his system.
As he strode into his estate once again, rather than being greeted with barks of laughter, it was eerily quiet. He would've ventured to guess the two already left without bidding him a goodbye, but as he climbed each marble step, Tarrlok heard the soft muffles of music playing in the background. Although he moved past the closed door, pale blue eyes strayed on the warm light seeping through the cracks.
Stop this! He reprimanded himself, tearing his eyes away from the fine wood and striding almost grumpily into his office. He needed to focus. He's been telling himself that for the few weeks this began and he could only scoff bitterly at how far the two of them were taking this. Sifting through his drawer, Tarrlok found the few files that connected with the project he was abruptly given on such short notice, grabbed them and promptly closed the wood with a bump of his hip.
Already scanning the papers, Tarrlok made his way down the stairs, only to be stopped short at the sound of the front door closing with a harsh click.
Glancing up at the noise, he visibly slumped in his poised stance and boredly commented, "Oh, you're home."
"It's good to know your eyesight isn't deteriorating, brother." Noatak rasped coolly, the mild glare pointedly directed at Tarrlok.
He would let that go for tonight, not only because he was exhausted, but also due to the fact that Tarrlok was more curious of what he did rather than prod at him with useless ridicules.
"Korra said you'd be out for a few hours." Tarrlok spoke up as he met his brother at the bottom of the grandiose stairs, two files of papers still in his one-handed grasp.
"Yes, I'm well aware I said precisely that." Noatak said in slight annoyance, kicking off his shoes to the corner of the foyer.
"...And?" Tarrlok encouraged.
"If you're asking if I spent the last two and a half hours with old friends, you're wrong. I needed to think." His brother sighed and easily brushed past Tarrlok to the living room.
Tarrlok followed. "There's only two places that come to mind when you say that, Noatak." He insinuated all too seriously as his brother plopped himself onto the plush sofa with a sigh.
Noatak let out an unnerving chuckle, the sound sending dread down Tarrlok's spine. "I just went to a bar, brother. I didn't corrupt a young woman's cunt like someone wants to do to a certain teenager." He challenged with a grotesque smirk growing on his aged features.
"I do not!" Tarrlok denied almost too quickly.
As he stood there, blatantly glaring at his brother's relaxed form, the smirk only widened on Noatak's mouth as the silence between them lengthened.
"You know, I find it odd that you're able to manipulate and lie your way up the political ladder, yet you're so easily moved when you're faced with lust." Noatak said steadily, observing Tarrlok's demeanor for any reaction. When there was none and they were greeted with a heavy silence, just a deadpan expression and furrowed brows from the taut man, Noatak's brow twitched. "What, no snarky comeback? No defensive remarks?" He questioned.
"No, I acknowledged that." Tarrlok almost growls.
"Good, better to know what you're doing is fucked up rather than remain blissfully ignorant." Noatak yawned disinterestedly and grabbed onto the remote as Tarrlok warily returned to his spot on the sofa. This was surely something he needed to stop before it got too much out of hand. But then again, he'd repeatedly chanted the ramifications in his mind and he had yet to refuse any advances she prodded him with. Maybe the situation was already out of his control.
—-
With the sun long gone and the night crawling to its peak, Tarrlok was restless. There was no other way to put it. Before she mentioned that silly dance, he didn't realize it had been exactly two weeks since she bought that dress she deliberately hid from him, since their bout of anger that had him driving to the nearest convenience store to purchase her feminine needs, since the feelings of lust began to sprout from the ground.
There had been so much that happened over the two weeks that it seemed like a lifetime ago.
Pacing back and forth, his eyes repeatedly strayed on the closed door taunting him. He knew what hid behind that door, he knew she was going to intentionally rile him up, just to leave him with nothing but the image of a suggestive dress wrapped around her body. His mind tried to remember any hint she could've given him, but nothing came. Instead, he filled the large gap in his imagination.
But just as the picture of Korra in a striking black dress began to conjure in his mind, Noatak's raspy voice grunted in a complaint. "Brother, stop looking so nervous, it's repulsive."
Tarrlok growled in irritation. He didn't know what to feel. Over the two weeks, his curiosity waned, merely pushing the thought to the back of his mind as other distressing events were nearly shoved to the front.
"I can't help that she's been teasing me with this dress for two weeks… amongst other things… In any case, of course, I'd be damn nervous, you and her little friend are here." He ran a hand through his hair distractedly.
"Little friend?" Noatak queried, genuinely confused as Tarrlok ceased his restless pacing.
Letting out a sigh, he mumbled a blunt, "Sato's daughter."
"Tch, small world, this is." Noatak shook his head in disbelief. He was right, at any rate. Throughout the life he deliberately created in Republic City, Tarrlok had no intention of hearing that last name again. But, of course, fate had taken its course as it always had.
"Precisely," he said blandly.
As if on cue, the sound of a door creaking open and harsh clicks on marble meet the brothers' ears. It was a steady yet intimidating beat, something that promptly got those tumultuous thoughts to drive away. Glancing over Noatak's shoulder, Tarrlok's eyes widened a fraction, immediately feeling his pulse hasten.
Noatak watched his brother's face instantly shift from irritation to perplexity. Curiosity bested him and glanced over his shoulder to follow Tarrlok's line of sight. Despite her technically being a part of the family now, something Tarrlok as well as Korra evidently hadn't taken to heart, Noatak did have to give her credit for that piece of shiny material, for it certainly would heinously adhere to the fragments of his imagination, something he didn't ask for.
Swallowing over a suddenly dry throat, Tarrlok's face hardened to one of indifference as he easily met vivid cerulean orbs twinkling with a hidden joke he did not understand.
Tarrlok thought he was in need of an ambulance just from the sight of her. With his jaw clenched, arms locked in a fold over his chest, and rapidly heating body, Tarrlok could only stand there beside his brother and silently watch in something akin to awe and desire as Korra descended from the grand staircase, the Sato girl trailing behind.
Seven hells, Korra looked stunning. Her brown hair was straightened from their natural waves and grazed the middle of her back, light makeup dusted her cheeks and eyelids to enhance her beauty rather than mask it, undoubtedly Miss Sato's doing. And by the spirits, that dress, a dress that clung to her curvaceous figure all too flatteringly. It was certainly something Tarrlok did not expect her to wear. It was no wonder that she was acting coy that night she went out with her friends. The baby blue material matched her gleaming irises that carefully watched his face for any reaction.
He tried to keep his eyes trained on her face, but he couldn't stop them from roving over her body every few seconds. She looked delectable. Her breasts nearly spilled from their confines, her hips swayed tantalizingly as she sauntered down the marble steps, the shiny material stopped mid-thigh to reveal smooth, toned legs balanced from a simple pair of black heels. Despite her awkward footing - evidently, she was still getting used to wearing heels rather than her leather shoes - she still held confidence in their locked gazes, no matter how small it wavered.
There was a mumble from his side, but Tarrlok couldn't be swayed.
Blood roared in his ears, barely registering Noatak's offhand comment about the Sato girl's dress as he eyed her critically. How could he be focused on her when Korra, a mere seventeen year old, his adopted daughter, was practically clad to give a misbehaving boy a good whipping? And it was precisely that that instantly produced a heated thrill down his spine, stirring his lower abdomen pleasantly and threatening to manifest just how much he relished the mere sight of her.
He was disgusted with himself, disgusted that he found her so attractive, disgusted that even if his mind disagreed, his body had no qualms in accepting such risque advances. He couldn't take his eyes off her, and she must've noticed with the subtle sultry smirk that curved her nude painted lips.
It wasn't until she waltzed up to his front that he felt every bit of heat radiating from her body, the smugness nearly rolling in waves. She were about to prop dainty hands on the harsh curve of her hips, but Miss Sato's hand on her shoulder told her of secret language he had no intention of learning. All he could do was stand there with his jaw clenched tightly, and Noatak must have been watching him closely from the way he cleared his throat and broke the deafening silence.
"You look stunning, kiddo." Noatak commented, although there was a notable lack of emotion in his statement.
"Thanks, Uncle Noatak. Although, this was all Asami… she helped me with, well, basically everything." Both of the brothers' icy eyes followed her hands as she glanced down at her body and smoothed the fine latex.
Despite the both of them watching Korra, Noatak recovered easily, disinterestedly, promptly shifting his attention to the young woman next to her. "I presume you are Asami?" He rasped and weaved a hand through his short hair.
"Uh huh, Asami Sato." The girl outstretched her hand in greeting as the other tucked a stray black strand behind her ear.
"Noatak, Korra's uncle." Noatak says smoothly. He shook her hand almost too innocently, but Tarrlok knew his brother all too well, that he was assessing the young woman and already scheming for who-knows-what.
"Charmed," she smiled politely and awkwardly clasped her hands to her front, a growing flush coloring her pale cheeks.
"So, how do I look, dad?" She questioned, pleasure coloring her voice as a sweet smile was plastered onto her face. She knew this was affecting him, but he'd never give her the pleasure in confirming such knowledge.
Nearly shaking his head in disappointment at how easily she swayed him, he stared in challenge at those orbs glinting with laughter in the warm light. His brother was right. It was odd that he managed to climb the political ladder with manipulation and deceit and careful persuasion, but was practically stripped of all that deftness when it came to the young woman standing in front of him. What was even stranger was the fact that he had never been so easily affected by feminine charms.
Seven hells, the women he had been with practically threw themselves in his bed, lounging around in the most expensive lingerie, yet he had never felt this palpable intensity of an intangible pull.
Taking a deep breath in, he composed himself with a diplomatic smirk. "You look spectacular, sweetheart." Tarrlok said coolly, almost too confident that it had Korra narrowing her bright eyes a fraction. He didn't dwell on it too much, couldn't stray on the thought that he conjured some rationality in his clouded mind and glanced down at her bare arms. One hand was propped on her hip sassily while the other laid limp at her side.
"Aren't you missing something?" He questioned smugly with a twitch in his brow as her demeanor slightly fell.
From his stance, he could see Noatak discreetly scrutinizing the Sato girl while she hastily moved her thumbs in what he presumed was a conversation from the corner of his eyes.
"...I am?" She asked cautiously, nearly braving a glance down at her body once more, but immediately stopped when his voice changed to that of a school teacher.
"Jacket, Korra." He said bluntly, lids lowering heavily.
That produced an exaggerated roll of her eyes, the smile only widening further. Whether it was due to their facade of biological father and daughter or his protective nature with exactly why she needed a jacket, Tarrlok didn't know.
"You're so paranoid, dad." She dismissed in passing, sauntering to the lonesome coat rack in the corner of the foyer and grasped onto his light coat, folding it over her forearm. The same coat he draped over her shoulders when they paid a visit to Harmony Tower. Not necessarily the jacket he had in mind, considering it was a coat - because yes, there is a difference - but the mirth swimming in her eyes told him he should keep his mouth shut, something he rarely did.
"Korra, we should get going before Mako and Bolin start sending out search parties. They're already riding my ass for being late." The girl said softly, wiggling her phone to show Korra.
"Right," Korra shook her head sheepishly, Miss Sato already making a move towards the front door. But instead of following her friend, Korra strode to his front, grasping at his bicep and stretching herself to the tips of her toes.
He would've thought she were going to whisper into his ear with how close they were, but immediately tensed at the soft feeling of her lips against his cheek once again. "Bye, daddy." She pulled away with that self-assured smirk lining her lips.
"Have fun, sweetheart." He mumbled as steadily as he could before she followed the Sato girl, the two waving in goodbye and closed the door behind their retreating bodies. With the final click of the locks, the estate went completely silent between the brothers. Except for the soft taps of Naga's paws languidly making her way to his side.
It wasn't until the headlights of Miss Sato's car glared off the glass of the front door that Noatak let out an unnerving cackle.
Tarrlok glanced at his brother with brows furrowed in vexation. What in all hells did he find so entertaining about this situation? Faintly shaking his head, Noatak cleared his throat when he felt Tarrlok's glowering gaze on him. He was undeniably tickled, that much was evident.
As the occasional snicker shook his shoulders, Tarrlok waited for an explanation, his patience thinning.
Just as he nearly had enough of Noatak's asinine behavior, he stopped Tarrlok with that grotesque grin still plastered on his face. "Daddy? Sweetheart?" He asked bluntly.
Tarrlok let out a long, suffering exhale, attempting to reel in the patience that he practically relinquished.
"If I didn't know any better, I would've presumed you two relish the roles you've created for yourselves. It's rather uncanny." Noatak continued, unbothered.
"The Sato girl doesn't know, Korra doesn't want her to know." He glared at his brother past a half lidded gaze.
"Hmm," Noatak hummed in thought, his eyes narrowing as they squinted to observe Tarrlok closely.
"What?" He nearly spat impatiently.
He didn't have time for Noatak's childish games, not when Naga needed to be fed, not when his papers needed tending to, and certainly not when the image of Korra's toned body wrapped in latex was still fresh in his mind.
"Nothing, merely entertained by the fact that she knows how to push your buttons." Noatak chuckled as he harshly smacked his large palm to Tarrlok's shoulder, striding past his seething body and into the living room. Tarrlok growled, incensed, and patted at his thigh for Naga to follow him.
The entrance was a little too dramatic, a little too over-the-top for Korra's tastes. Sure, the theme was cliche and much too cheesy - a night under city lights, naturally, which was odd considering they were in the city - but did the school really have to be this dramatic? Korra expected this for prom, but homecoming?
Specks of black and white colored the entrance to the auditorium, a small booth settled perfectly in the middle while Mr. Tenzin and Mrs. Pema checked the student body in.
The pulsing of muffled music could be heard seeping from the gym and Korra didn't know if she should be excited to experience homecoming for the first time or dread the inevitable sight of people grotesquely grinding against one another. The lines blurred and she stood frozen in her spot in line, contemplating whether this was a good idea or not. It wasn't too late to back out, right? Granted, if she returned to the estate, the dress would undoubtedly be put to waste… unless she came up with an impromptu way to use it against Tarrlok.
Smoothing a hand down the sleek material of her dress, Asami gently grasped onto her shoulder and guided her forward in the line. Spirits, she felt so out of place. Everyone looked as though they matched the theme, all cohesive and romantic, glinting with glamour, while she herself appeared as though she were going to dominate any guy that flirted with her. Despite the vague feeling of tons of eyes straying on her form, Korra took a deep breath in, gathering as much courage and willpower she possessed to get through the night without dreading this anymore than she already had, and tilted her head high.
Straightening her spine, Korra stepped forward. Well, it's now or never.