Chapter 9 – Eat the Rich
"Damn it!" Korra shouts, pulling at her hair.
"Waters, Pai Sho really ain't your game," Sato mocks and begins resetting the board again. "You've lost to me, Bo, Mako, and Opal."
"How was I supposed to know Pai Sho is the game for the elitists and a sacrilegious rite of passage and your father taught Bolin and Mako the ways?" she complains and pouts. She knows she's being a child, but going 0 for 4 has really put a damper on her mood. Korra Waters does not like to lose and never will.
"Don't worry, Korra!" Bolin reassures and smiles widely, revealing the dimples in his cheeks. "I remember before Hiroshi taught me and Mako, Asami beat our asses every time. He finally took pity on us and taught us to give her a challenge." At this very moment, Pabu decides he's had enough of Bolin's shoulders, jumps onto the game board, and scatters the pieces everywhere. "Pabu! No!"
Bolin chases after the fire ferret that has now jumped onto Asami's work bench. A few mechanical pieces meet the same fate as the game pieces. The frazzled man is calling for his beloved pet and chasing him all over the room.
Since Asami isn't speaking, Korra assumes this must be a reoccurring event. Things were a little awkward the following minutes after their display of affection. Leave it to Opal to break the ice and congratulate the two women, genuinely happy for both of them. Bolin followed shortly afterwards, more afraid to say anything since he knew how scary Asami Sato could be. Mako was more shocked and embarrassed than anything, but warmed up to it.
He even jokingly said, "Leave it to my ex-girlfriend, who's like a sister to me now, to snag the girl I tried to hit on."
When Bolin asked why Asami never told him or Mako, her response was, "You never asked, and I never engaged in a serious relationship with a woman before. You know I like to keep my private life private. Only a few people besides my parents know. If Mako wasn't your brother, you may not have even known I was dating him, but since he tried making a move on the woman I'm trying to date, you now know."
The five of them are going to be okay. Korra doesn't know where this budding romance with Asami will lead, but she can definitely picture herself hanging out in this little group.
The speaker system turns on again, and a deep, hearty voice fills the space.
"Kids, dinner is ready and on the table. Bolin, please leave Pabu in Asami's room. We don't need a repeat of the last dinner you attended. I think I'll enlighten our new guests of that dinner as an ice breaker."
Meeting Asami's father, Hiroshi, isn't too bad. He's actually pretty friendly, but Korra can't stop thinking about the what-if scenarios if he had been the one on the other side of the door rather than Bolin. He's kind of a big man, smaller than her own father, but still. Surely, he has some lethal business and combat skills in his arsenal like his daughter. She wonders if Yasuko told him anything about their interactions, and if she did, is he going to interrogate her about being with his only daughter, his only child?
Right now, Korra is a little overwhelmed over the spread on the long, kind of ostentatious modern buffet table set up on the other side of the dining room. Ribs and chicken, potatoes, mixed vegetables, biscuits, salad, soup, fruit, and foods Korra doesn't even know the names of. This is the type of set up I'd expect in a royal palace.
Sato hip checks her, bringing her back to her senses. She's smiling shyly with her arms crossed loosely over her chest. She's still in the same outfit from before, but a few strands of black hair have fallen out of the bun now. Like it's second nature, Korra brushes the strands back behind her ear. Asami plants a sweet kiss on her cheek in thanks and brings a blush over Korra who peeks behind them to find the others paying no attention to them.
"My parents don't half-ass anything when guests are concerned, but honestly, I'm surprised they reined it in this much."
"This is reining it in?" She emphasizes her point by holding her hands out at the food.
"Trust me, it is. You're lucky they didn't bring in the caviar, crabs, clams, fish, and shrimp." Korra's stomach growls loudly, and she clutches at it to shut it up. Her taste buds begin salivating at the thought, imagery, and smell of that food too. Asami smirks. "Good to know you like seafood, but I should've known since you grew up in the South. Make your plate with whatever you want, and you're welcome to return as many times as you want until your stomach is full." She leaves Korra to it and returns to her seat.
Korra is the last to return to the table where Hiroshi is regaling them with a business story. He sits at the head of the table. Yasuko, Asami, and her sit on one side. Mako, Bolin, and Opal on the other.
"Welcome back, Korra!" Hiroshi takes in her modest plate and smiles kindly. "When you dine at the Sato residence, you can't leave hungry. If you do, we've failed as proper hosts. It's so nice of Asami to bring other friends besides Mako and Bolin over for once for dinner."
"Dad," Asami draws and covers her face. Korra tries to snicker under her breath, but Asami hears it and shoves her in the shoulder a little too hard. Her face almost meets the soft cushion of the seat next to her. She's almost sure it's Hiroshi and Yasuko's laughter she hears the loudest.
"Asami, we don't condone senseless violence in this house. Good to know you've kept up with your strength training though."
"Mom, please make Dad stop."
"Hiroshi, don't tease her. Let the kids be."
"Yes, dear," he sighs and takes a sip of his wine. He then raises his glass in a toast and everyone else follows suit. "I'd just like to say it's nice to hear this big ol' home filled with so much laughter and glee. Maybe it's a taste of what the future will be like?" Korra swears she sees him wink at her secretively. "And it's nice to have hope that perhaps the Sato and Beifong connection will strengthen."
"Hiroshi, we do not speak about business at dinner!" Yasuko chastises and slaps him in the shoulder. A little bit of his wine slooshes out of the glass.
His body quakes with laughter. "Well, I guess the matriarch has spoken. We thank the spirits for this plentiful dinner. Cheers everyone! Eat up!"
While Korra starts modestly, she and Bolin revisit the delicious buffet table the most times. It takes four plates for her to stop. Bolin stops at six. By some small miracle, Sato behaves the entire time with only occasional, can be seen as accidental, brushes between their arms on the table. Even her conversation with Korra is polite and in safe areas, saving her any trouble and embarrassment in front of everyone.
Or at least she thinks.
She's slumps back in her chair, wiping her forehead, when a pair of lips come closer to her ear and whispers seductively, "I do hope you saved room for…dessert."
Korra swallows, eyes darting around to find no one paying attention to them again. "D-dessert?"
"Yes, Waters. Dessert. Don't you just love dessert?" Spirits, this girl is going to kill me. Why is it every time she talks, I can't form sentences or fire back at her with an equally suggestive comment?
"Depends on what it is," she replies, trying to calm her heartbeat. Opal catches her eyes and furrows her eyebrows at the scene, but then blushes, turns her face, and covers it.
"If I remember right, you said you're always hungry and down for anything though? But I do hope you like my dessert."
Korra swears she's going to combust right there and then. But then, a dessert plate with a medium sized slice of chocolate tart with a of scoop vanilla ice cream is placed in front of her and Asami's hot breath is gone.
She reaches up and feels beads of sweat breaking the surface. She stares off into space for too long because Hiroshi's voice makes her jump a little.
"Korra, do you not like chocolate tart or ice cream? Or do you have a dairy allergy? If that's the case, our chef can whip you up something non-dairy swiftly."
Glancing at Asami, she's innocently eating her chocolate tart with ice cream like she didn't just talk dirty in her ear. She sees the pink tip peak through and wipe up any remnants of the dessert. She looks back to Hiroshi and shifts uncomfortably in her seat.
"No, no, it's perfect. I just zoned out a little." She cuts off the tip of the tart and scoops some ice cream up, popping it in her mouth. Almost immediately, she moans as it melts in her mouth. She doesn't intend to tease Sato with it, but the glare she gets because of it, raises her ego. Two can play at this game, Sato. Serves you right for earlier too. "It's absolutely divine, Hiroshi."
"It's one of Asami's favorite desserts. We specifically asked for it to share with her friends today. She has a mean sweet tooth if she hasn't told you yet." He dabs at the corner of his mouth with his napkin and takes a sip of his coffee. "I couldn't help, but overhear your conversation with Bolin earlier about your dedication to personal fitness. Has Asami shown you our home gymnasium and weight room yet?"
"I actually haven't seen any rooms beside the dining room, Asami's bedroom and bathroom, and the hallways."
Hiroshi tsks and shakes his head, and a forkful of tart and ice cream drops several inches short of Asami's mouth. She sits up straighter, blushing with an embarrassed smile at her parents. Korra knows she's mortified, but thinks she's being really cute. Vixen to little turtle duck in a matter of seconds.
"Asami, your mother and I have raised you better than this. After everyone has finished their desserts, you'll give a proper tour of the estate."
"Yes, Dad."
Ten minutes later, everyone's desserts are eaten and cleared away. Korra's gulping down water. Asami taps on her shoulder and taps at the corner of her lips. She tries to reach whatever is on her lips with her tongue, but it proves unsuccessful. Sato grabs her napkin and wipes the crumbs of the tart away herself, smiling sweetly the whole time.
Korra catches Hiroshi and Yasuko over her shoulder watching the exchange between them, but they make no verbal comments. They smile encouragingly before looking away and resume their conversation. They definitely know. But at least I'm not getting an ass whooping.
"Asami, I haven't seen your parents this happy in years," Bolin points out as they pass the state-of-the-art entertainment room. "I know we aren't their kids, but they treat us so well. It's a shame they had so much trouble conceiving you. They would've made great parents to a few more kids." Huh, that's an interesting tidbit of information.
"Bo, you and Mako are basically my brothers. You're legally Magmas, but honorary Satos."
Bolin needs a bathroom break so the remaining four wait for him. Asami pulls Korra several feet away from Mako and Opal for privacy.
"So, what do you think? Still intimidated by me?" she teases and traces the muscles in Korra's forearm. "I'm just an ordinary college student who lives with her parents in a huge house. Nothing to be scared by."
"I think the better word is intrigued, Sato. What is it with you and eating at tables that turns you completely filthy, but like in a prim and proper way?"
Asami hums and intertwines their fingers. "Years of training, sweetie. Maybe we should make this weekend date a weekly thing, but minus the other three sometimes. We study for Beifong's class cuddled up to one another in my bed and eat dinner with my parents."
"Sounds perfect." Korra squeezes her hand tighter. It feels so perfect and she gets butterflies thinking of the future with her. "I think your parents confirmed their suspicions about us at dinner when you wiped my mouth. I don't have to worry about being interrogated, do I?"
Asami giggled. "No, my dad won't interrogate you. They trust my judgement, and like me, they're people persons which is why it wouldn't surprise me if they know we're a little more than friends and classmates. It took them a little while to understand my bisexuality and thought it was just a phase. They researched it and talked with me about it a lot to understand my point of view. Ever since then, they've been fully supportive and just want me to be happy whether it's with a man or a woman."
"That's…really cool of them. I mean, my parents were the same way, but the way Kuvira described your circles-"
"Shh…" she pushes a finger against her lips, "the only people in our circles who know about my bisexuality are Lin, Su, and Sr. since I'm so close to them and I trust them. They've kept their mouths sealed, respecting my privacy and my family's just like how we've never asked for a confirmation or denial for the rumors about Kuvira. We respect one another's privacy and understand there's more to life than the Society.
"In all honesty, everyone else might think I'm a nun since I've never brought a date or guest to any functions and always hang out with my parents. If we work out, and I have the opportunity to invite you to an event, I'll proudly show you off to all of them. Their archaic, discriminatory viewpoints can go fuck themselves.
Korra's heart swells. She wraps a hand around Sato's neck, gently guiding her lips to hers. They seem so right brushing delicately together. They taste of vanilla bean still, but are now coated with chocolatey goodness, sugar, and cream from their dessert. Every kiss between them makes Korra want to melt to the floor like sugar on her tongue. Seriously, why didn't I kiss her sooner? Has it really only been a few hours since we first kissed?
"You're an amazing woman, Sato," she declares softly and presses their foreheads together.
"You too, Waters."
"Hey, are we finishing this house tour or what?" Bolin hollers. Korra hears a smack and a yelp.
"Yes, Bolin. Give us a minute," Sato responds loud enough for him to hear, but doesn't remove her forehead from Korra's. What she does is wrap her hands around her biceps. "The home gym and weight room are right down the hall. You may need to put these impressive, strong guns to good use for a demonstration."
"Second Amendment," she blurts almost like a muscle memory from earlier. Her own eyes widen, wondering where that came from.
Asami chuckles and kisses her cheek. "Very good. You're learning after all thanks to Professor Sato."
Posted: January 3, 2021