Title: The Trophy Wife
Rating: M
Words: 1997
Fandom: The Legend of Korra
Characters/Pairings: Everyone; Amorra, Masami
Author's Note: I survived Steamcon. I consider this a huge accomplishment. Also, while at Steamcon, I managed to finish chapter 28 and start chapter 29. (Horribly behind on Amorralok week, but I digress.) In this chapter:
The brothers discuss Amon's relationship with Korra. She doesn't have much choice but to overhear. Also, babies.
There's not much to know about this chapter, other than it's almost all dialogue. Should be a fairly quick read. As usual, huge thanks to my beta, Relic. :3
The rest of the weekend passed pleasantly enough, with Korra and Noatak spending an extraordinary amount of time just lying around and doing nothing. Sometimes they talked about their pasts, but for the most part they did their own thing. Korra was currently devouring every novel Noatak had in his collection while he spent his time sitting at his desk and going over legislation.
On odd numbered days, Noatak brought Tarrlok to their room so he could bathe. The first time it happened Korra had been lounging on the bed in nothing but her bindings and her dressing gown. She greeted her husband and then noticed that her brother-in-law was also present. With a yelp she dove for the blanket to cover herself, blushing brightly at being caught in such an indecent state by someone other than the man she was married to.
Tarrlok was also embarrassed, as he laid into his brother the moment they were in the bathroom. It didn't keep Korra from overhearing it, though. She was pretty sure the entire facility could hear it.
"You didn't tell her?"
"What is there to tell? Clearly you had to be bathing at some point. I find it easier to let you use my private bath."
"Yes, and it's also very late at night and your wife is in her undergarments and clearly ready for bed!"
"And that's a problem?"
"I should not be seeing my sister-in-law in such a state."
There was a long pause and then a low chuckle. "You like her."
"I beg your pardon!"
"No, no, I get it. She is beautiful and young; naturally you'd be attracted to her. Perhaps you even entertained the idea of making an alliance with her. After all, imagine the status and clout of a councilman married to the Avatar."
"That was never an option. Never and I don't appreciate that you would assume that I would do such thing. Just because you have absolutely no qualms about doing so doesn't mean that I don't, either."
"And just what exactly are you insinuating, little brother?"
"I am insinuating that she is nothing more for a trophy for you to hold up to your followers. 'Look, the Avatar stands by my side so clearly I am in the right.' If anyone should question your motives or authority, you can trot her out and show her off like some sort of prize to back up your arguments."
"It seems I underestimated the amount of affection you hold for her."
"It seems I overestimated your ability to care."
"You know nothing of our relationship, nothing!"
"Then enlighten me! Really, I would like to know how you can see her as anything more than a means to end when you've spent less than a week with the girl. You can't honestly tell me that you love her."
"She is a companion."
"And nothing more, if I had to guess. The physical needs of the body are satisfied easily enough and without an emotional connection. Tui and La know that I have made a point to not get married even though I was one of Republic City's most eligible bachelors. I refused to marry a woman just so I wouldn't be lonely. Not when I couldn't give her what she deserved."
"I find it hard to believe that you wouldn't want a family. That was so important to you, once."
"And then I realized that if I ever had children, that they would be cursed to have the bloodbending. I vowed I wouldn't let Yakone's line continue."
There was a long and awkward silence. Korra was sitting on the edge of the bed, completely wrapped up in the conversation. Finally, Noatak broke the silence.
"I'm afraid."
A soft snort answered him.
"Honestly, Tarrlok, I'm afraid. I've been careful so far, obviously having children so soon is completely out the question, but I wonder if it's an impossible dream. The night after we married I lay awake for hours wondering about children. She's still so young; she has her entire life ahead of her. I don't want to burden her with the abomination that my offspring would surely be…"
"You really are afraid, aren't you?"
"I want a family. I want to know that there's still hope for me…but I feel like I don't deserve it or that my past will taint my future."
"I can understand that, perhaps better than anyone." There was a long pause before Tarrlok spoke again. "I'm not going to pry about exactly what is going on between you two, but no matter what you're still my brother. I'm here for you."
A soft chuckle echoed out into the bedroom. "I know, but only because I'm holding you captive."
"A strange family dynamic to be sure. Well, enough of this sentimental garbage. I need a bath."
The door to the bathroom opened and Noatak stepped out, surprised to find Korra sitting on the edge of the bed looking at him intently. "You know, one of the downsides of the cavern you call a bathroom is that everything echoes. Loudly."
He flushed in embarrassment. "You heard all of that, then?"
"Every last word," she confirmed.
"Oh." His face fell as he moved so he could sit next to her. "I suppose it's something we should talk about."
"What is there to discuss? You're right, it's too early for children and I am still young. I have time to start a family." She looked up at him, noting the sadness in his eyes, before casting her gaze down at the floor. "I know you're not getting any younger, and I'm not against having children…" Her voice faded as she twiddled her thumbs.
"Later," he cut in. "It can wait. We have too much to do right now to think about starting a family. Besides, this is hardly a place to raise a child."
"Oh, yes, hardly ideal," she agreed quickly.
"So…"
"So…" She sighed. "I think I'm going to go to sleep. I can sleep through anything, so you won't have to worry about waking me up." Crawling to her side of the bed, she flipped the covers back and settled under them. She drifted off quickly, leaving Noatak to his thoughts.
That had been several days ago, and now he was trying to rouse his wife so she could eat before she had to leave for airbending training. "Really, Korra, you need to get up. If you want to eat before you have to leave, you need to get up right now."
"Mornings are evil," she mumbled into her pillow, causing him to chuckle.
"Yes, they are but that doesn't change the fact that you need get up and go to airbending training."
"Fine," she groaned as she rolled out of bed and on to the floor. Noatak helped her to her feet and led her into the office where her breakfast was waiting. She ate quickly while he sat down to start in on his paper work, and then she dashed back to get dressed. Ten minutes later she reappeared in the office, tying her pelt around her waist. "Okay, I'm ready to go."
He looked up at her and nodded. "Fine. Come with me."
"So…how are we getting to the docks?" Korra asked as she followed him through the halls. She noted that the Equalists all nodded respectfully at Amon and ignored her. It was ridiculous, but she managed to resist rolling her eyes, though.
"I'll be driving you," he said. "I'll also pick you up."
"Don't you have other things to do than operate a taxi system for me?" she asked, wondering why he would take time out of his day for something as mundane as driving her to the docks. The warehouse was right on the water, they could probably just ferry her over on their own boat.
"I do, but this is important, and it's important for you to be visible. Taking the official ferry does just that," Amon explained.
"You know, I should probably learn how to drive. Either a satomobile or a satocycle. I'm not picky."
"You will do no such thing."
"Well, I'd ride Naga, but seeing as she had to stay behind at Air Temple Island because you thought she'd eat your followers, that's not an option now, is it?"
"I understand, Avatar," he said coolly as they walked into the garage. "Get in the satomobile."
"Can I drive?"
"Absolutely not. I know for a fact that you don't know how."
"Well I want to learn."
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Pretty please?"
"Get in the car, Korra!"
"Okay, okay, sheesh!" she pouted as she slid in. The ride was silent, Korra staring out the window as Amon expertly navigated the satomobile through the warehouse district to the ferry dock.
"I'll be here at three," he reminded her. "Don't be late. I don't have time to waste waiting for you."
Fate, however, had different ideas. Korra was only half an hour into her airbending training when Pema went into labor. Being a fully trained healer, Korra assisted with the birth while trying to keep Tenzin calm. Even though it was her fourth child, Pema's labor was long and difficult, and Korra thanked Tui, La, and Yue above that Katara had drilled the healing lessons into her head. It was well past three when Rohan entered the world, but Korra didn't care.
She was using her bending to clean Rohan and check to make sure he was healthy before giving him back to his parents. "Who's a handsome little fellow?" she cooed at him. "You're a handsome little fellow!"
"Korra?" Asami called from the hallway.
"In here!" she called back as she gently wiped down Rohan's body with a soft, damp cloth. "You are such a cutie, yes you are!"
"I thought I said to be at the dock by three," an angry voice growled. "It is now four-thirty."
Korra looked up to see Amon stalking in behind Asami. With an over-dramatic eye roll, she finished cleaning Rohan and then swaddled him. "Sorry, had to deliver a baby. They're not much for keeping a schedule, you know."
Amon looked down at the bundle in Korra's arms. "You had to deliver a baby," he said incredulously.
"Meet Rohan," Korra said sweetly. "Seeing as I'm the only trained healer on the island right now, I got to help with the delivery. It's probably for the best, there were some complications." She passed Rohan off to Asami. "Would you please take him to Pema and Tenzin?"
"Of course," Asami said, happy for an excuse to get away from the tension in the room.
"Korra…"
"I'll try to abide by your requests, and they are requests and not orders, in the future, but I will not leave someone who needs me behind," Korra said sharply as she poked him in the chest.
He looked down at her, eyes narrowing behind his mask. "Could you have sent me a message?"
"I suppose I could have tried, had I known how to reach you," she answered flippantly. "I see two possible solutions to this. One, I get to bring Naga home or two, you teach me how to drive. If I have my own mode of transportation, I won't have to rely on you or others to get to the ferry."
"Absolutely not."
"Are you really afraid that I'd try to run away?" Korra asked, the hurt evident in her eyes. "Do you really not trust me? I was the one who asked you to marry me. Why would I run? What do I stand to gain by running away?"
He studied her, trying to determine what her motive was. "You just want to learn how to ride a satocycle, don't you?"
A brilliant smile lit up her face. "I think it would be so cool."
He couldn't stop himself from cradling his masked face in the palm of his hand. She was still only seventeen, after all.
