A/N: If you haven't noticed, I have been updating a lot quicker recently lol I'm trying my best to finish this before I get back to work because I hate making you guys wait !
Feedback of any kind is welcomed and appreciated! Enjoy!
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"You know, you could tell me what's on your mind. I won't tell them if you don't want me to." Asami mumbled into her drink, viridian offering cerulean a sidelong glance from over the rim of the glass.
She was at Asami's estate. Their legs were dipped into the indoor pool as they shared a rather large bottle of sake, while waiting for the brothers to arrive. The sizable room was empty for the exception of them two - as per Asami's request for her butler to leave - and their voices, as small as they were, echoed and mingled with the splashes they sent from a jerk of their legs and the scratchy sounds of upbeat jazz playing from a gramophone near the entrance.
Korra wasn't quite sure what to expect from this visit, since this was something Asami wanted to do on such short notice. At first, she thought it would've been another outing to a ramen bar this time, but instead, she was greeted with Asami looking as though she wanted to talk about something grave.
Has something happened? Was anyone in danger?
No.
Instead, she guided her to the pool, the water steaming in a haze. To her right, it appeared as if they were about to have a picnic of sorts in the dimly lit room. Some finger foods were splayed out on a blanket beneath them - an assortment of fruits and a large strawberry pie - untouched, and a few bottles of sake were ready for them to drink.
She'd been alone with her friend for the better part of half an hour, but it was obvious from both of their body language that they were avoiding the elephant-rat in the room. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk about it - she did - it was that she didn't know whether Asami would want to run away in mortification, or simply sit and listen as she did when she figured out Korra had a thing for Tarrlok. She always assumed it'd be the former, considering she sprinted away when they were looking for that eatery, but that's besides the point.
There were a few things she couldn't bring herself to say aloud, but knowing she was caught in some ways, she wilted a fraction. Whether it was due to her finally relaxing a bit from the constant tension, or maybe out of nothing but dread, Korra didn't know. She didn't want to think too much on the subject when hiding this was already more than stressful enough.
However, she couldn't blame anyone other than herself and Tarrlok for putting themselves in this mess.
"I know, it's just…" Korra drawled, trying to find the right words as she swished her legs back and forth.
"It's hard, right?" Asami asked, voice soft and gentle, almost reassuring in a way.
Korra glanced at her friend in mild surprise, her muscles taut. A sense of familiarity glimmered in viridian, as though she understood, but maybe Korra was looking too deep into this. "...Yeah." She answered distantly, thinking. Suddenly, her brows furrowed as she considered her friend. "Wait. You know?" Korra asked incredulously.
Asami giggled in response, grasping the sake bottle and pouring more of the clear liquid into their glasses. "Korra, the look on your face says it all." Her friend said as a matter of factly.
The look on her face?
Unconsciously, Korra lightly touched her cheeks and thought what she meant by that. Was she making it that obvious? Well, probably, considering Asami pieced together everything before, without the need for Korra's help.
"How so?" She asked reluctantly, grabbing her glass and taking a healthy gulp of the alcohol. If they were going to be talking so blatantly about this, she'd need more than just that one bottle… probably two more, if she were being honest.
Asami leaned back, bracing herself with one hand upon the soft fabric of the blanket behind her as she took a good look at Korra. Feeling herself flush from the attention - or maybe it was nothing but the alcohol already - Korra glanced everywhere but her friend when Asami hummed in thought. "Well, for one, you're glowing. That's a glow that comes from only one thing and that thing being you-know-who, unless you're taking it upon yourself to do that on your own time. And two, you look like you're about to break. I can see the stress building up."
How the hell did she manage to see that with just a few observations? She was right, of course, but still.
Narrowing her eyes, Korra mirrored her friend's leaning position. "When did you figure it out?"
Asami merely shrugged in amusement and took a swig of the sake. "As much as you guys don't talk about it openly, you two aren't exactly subtle with the signals, Korra. When we were out looking for that eatery? And we bumped into him?" She pressed knowingly that caused Korra to look away in embarrassment. Shit. They really were making it that obvious. But if it were obvious to Asami, did anyone else connect the dots? Another giggle escaped her friend, before she could grudgingly entertain the thought. "Yeah, I'm not ignorant to those looks even if I wanted to be. I don't know how long you two have been together together, but your body language speaks volumes… Besides, I know a thing or two about keeping a relationship hidden for quite some time, so it's easy for me to read the lines."
"I-uh… really?" Korra asked.
"Mhm," she hummed in response.
Slowly nodding and absorbing the information, she blindly grasped onto a piece of fruit behind her - a few grapes - and popped them into her mouth. "What happened, if you don't mind me asking?" She questioned, her voice muffled over the chewed morsels of fruit in her mouth.
Asami shrugged once more as Korra caught sight of the slightest tinge of pink on her friend's cheeks. "A lot, but I mean, it obviously didn't work out in the end since I'm with Mako now. Nothing bad happened between us, it was more on the fact that we just didn't like each other in that way anymore than anything." Viridian glanced out into the water in front of them distantly, as though she were remembering the relationship through her mind's eye.
Unconsciously, Korra curled her toes within the warm water, relishing the heat, despite the alcohol swimming in her stomach. "Was it difficult? You know, to keep it a secret?" She asked slowly, hesitantly.
Viridian orbs shifted to the glass she cradled in one hand, swirling the clear alcohol and gazing deeply into the liquid. "In some ways yeah… we were lucky that my father didn't suspect anything, though. He was pretty preoccupied with Future Industries and a few investors to really notice." Asami chuckled as the silence lapsed between them. "He always insisted we were really good friends and nothing more, so having her over and sneaking around with her came a little easier compared to what I'm guessing your situation is… right?" She nudged Korra's elbow.
"Yeah…" She conceded. It's not that it wasn't difficult - it was - but it wasn't so much as the effort to see him compared to finding a handful of lies that were convincing enough to keep everyone off her and Tarrlok's back for the time being. Tilting her head, she made a sound at the back of her throat. "Well, sneaking out isn't much of an issue, it's more trying to come up with believable excuses other than Task Force meetings. I mean, if I say it one more time to Tenzin, he'd probably track Tarrlok down and ask why there's so many meetings and Amon isn't apprehended yet." Korra chuckled and Asami mirrored her.
"Well, if you need some I got a ton up my sleeve." She suggested enticingly. As much as Korra tried not to be curious about it, she couldn't stop herself from taking up the offer. Because one thing was for sure, she needed all the help she could get if this was going to continue.
As requested, Asami indulged her, listing numerous excuses she used in her past, along with others she hadn't been able to mention to her father, as they drained one bottle of sake. From dinner with friends and going to an onsen, to spending the night at a friend's house and going to the gym, Korra stocked a few credible ones she could use for the future.
With time passing relatively quickly under the influence, a lighthearted atmosphere lapsed over them as the chuckling of past stories from Asami quieted. The occasional tremble of Korra's shoulders came sporadically, though the heat from the alcohol tickled her cheeks endearingly.
"So, how is it with him?" Asami asked with a fascinated smile, the sake loosening her reservations on approaching the topic.
"W-what do you mean?" Korra stuttered despite herself.
Her friend tilted her head and offered Korra a knowing look, mischief glimmering in viridian. "You know…" She drawled, nudging her elbow once again.
Korra flushed, her meaning evident. How could she even describe what it was like with him? With what they've done collectively, she couldn't bring herself to form a coherent thought. "Well…" She began, sighing.
Smiling, Asami shook her head as if she understood something Korra didn't. "I knew it. That blush right there says it all." She giggled into her glass.
With a brow twitching, Korra leaned back. "What?! I'm not blushing!" She said, her voice betraying her and pitching a little too high for her liking.
Swallowing her sake, her friend nodded. "Mhm, yeah you are. Right there." Asami pointed towards her heated cheeks, even poking her hot skin with the pad of her index finger that caused Korra to pout. However, she realized just how much she'd been pouting - a bad habit she learned from a certain irritating Councilman - and quickly replaced it by clenching her jaw. "Wait, before you go any further, just answer one question." Asami said, the playfulness glinting all too happily in her orbs.
"What?" Korra asked reluctantly, internally bracing herself for the onslaught of embarrassing questions.
"Is he just as prissy in bed as he is on the outside?" She asked with a smirk, her voice hushed. When Korra merely narrowed her eyes in confusion as a response, Asami bit her lower lip to stifle a cackle from escaping, and clarified. "I meant, is he wrapped around your finger, or is he as demanding about all this stuff as he is with everything else? Since I found out about you guys and connected two and two together, I've been wondering that, as much as I don't want to."
Korra considered her friend's words and took a healthy gulp of the sake, before pouring more into her glass.
Truthfully, he could be both. On one hand, she could tell he loved taking the reins and controlling every bit of their coupling. It could be rough and heady, then just as quickly, loving and tender, depending on their mood. Then on another hand, considering him in his entirety, Korra knew he relished being bossed around by her. They've only dabbled a little into the subject of her dominating him - just a few days ago, actually - but the defiance sparkling in his pale fire, let alone the pounding of his heart beneath her palms, she couldn't deny he took pleasure in her power.
Whether it was because she was the Avatar, or it was someone as young and energetic as her besting him - or a combination of both - it was obvious he took her control in strides.
Despite herself, a smile made its way up her lips as she shrugged in pride. "He's pretty whipped, if I do say so myself." She uttered smugly.
A sound bubbled at the back of Asami's throat in disbelief, though the amusement was evident on her tipsy face. "Wow, Korra. It seems our esteemed Councilman loves being under your thumb, huh?" She jested, before taking another gulp of sake.
Korra chuckled, however, she wasn't wrong about it. "Well…" She drawled happily.
They drank more and more as time passed, the barely notable sting of alcohol was practically nonexistent when they were closer to drunkenness than sobriety. As they waited, Asami and Korra joked about sex, speaking of tips and techniques and whatnot that Korra wanted to stow away for later use, but she doubted she'd be able to remember them, while they gossiped about their beaus through gasps of air and inadvertently, toppling over in laughter.
Another bottle was nearly empty by the time the brothers arrived with the guidance of Asami's butler.
With how much they were laughing, their voices croaked, her throat scratchy and her eyes welled up with tears.
Mako and Bolin came from their flanks with brows knitted together in a combination of amusement and worry. "Well you two seem to be super chummy with each other." Mako said, eyeing both her and Asami as they sat themselves down on the splayed blanket.
"Yeah, sake usually does that to you. You know, letting loose and going with the flow and all, right?" Korra said with a vague gesture, her cheeks hurting from how much she'd been smiling.
Bolin released a snicker, before his emerald eyes widened at the sight of the nearly empty bottle of sake. "Hell yeah, is that the berry flavored one I've been asking about?" He pointed with his index finger.
"Mhm, try it." Asami nodded, outstretching her arm and offering her drink with flushed cheeks. Korra watched as Bolin took a few sips, determining whether or not he liked it, and concluded he did when he happily grasped at the bottle and poured the remnants into a stray glass.
Mako shook his head in amusement and grabbed the last glass, waiting for his brother to pour him some. "Speaking of letting loose, you seem to be pretty bright-eyed these past few weeks. What happened? Was it that old guy again? Is he buying you expensive gifts?" He questioned, nodding towards Korra.
A part of her was offended that he could waltz right in and question her like it was an interrogation, but with the amount of alcohol flowing in her blood, she couldn't bring herself to care. In a lot of ways, she was happy because of Tarrlok, but it wasn't because he was spoiling her with his wealth.
Furrowing her brows, Korra shook her head. "No. I can't be happy for the sake of being happy?" She retorted.
"Tch, okay, you're twisting my words." He said into his glass.
Korra paused, thinking about it. Judging by his tone, let alone the questions itself, it seemed like he was trying to goad her, or at least get a reaction out of her, but she wasn't having it. She shook her head once more. "Mn, no, I don't think I am."
Seemingly attempting to quell the tension in the air, Asami placed a hand on Mako's bicep and intervened. "Mako, she's managed to break through her spiritual block. Of course, she'd be happy." Her friend lied easily, offering Korra a pointed look. Even through the sake, she understood her meaning well enough and discreetly nodded once.
Golden eyes widened and flickered between her and Asami. "Wait, really?" He asked seriously, looking at her to expound on the subject.
Despite it being a fib, her mind scrambled as she tried to sheepishly shrug at the attention the brothers were giving her. "Well, it's not much of a breakthrough yet because I still can't go into the spirit world or anything, but I caught glimpses of Aang a few days after winning championships. Now that I think about it, it might've been a dream, but it felt real from what I remember." She said with a small smile.
In a sense, it was the truth. She really had been seeing glimpses of Aang in her dreams, though she doubted it had anything to do with her spiritual block and more just reliving memories she didn't actually experience.
"That's awesome news!" Bolin beamed, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace that caused her sake to spill onto her clothes. If it weren't for the fact that she'd been grasping at the edge of the pool, they would've tumbled into the warm water from the sheer force.
"Congrats, Korra!" Mako praised, awkwardly patting her shoulder.
She should've felt terrible for lying to them, or hiding the truth from them, but she couldn't stop herself from going along with the fib Asami created for her. Spirits, was that how her friend managed to hide a relationship from her father for so long?
Suddenly, Bolin pulled back and offered her an earnest gleam in emerald. "Wait, did he have a beard just like Tenzin does? Because I've been thinking about growing mine out." He asked, his face all too serious, yet the tone in his voice said otherwise. With a chuckle, Korra shoved him with a hand to his chest.
She merely shook her head and took another swig of the clear liquid in response. It was a good thing they didn't question it, lest she sputtered like an idiot.
Patting his face with a discarded towel at his side, Tarrlok glanced at his reflection in the mirror. His long hair cascaded down his back and over his shoulders in mussed waves, and his broad chest was starkly bare. Even in the warm light, he could see the dark circles underneath his eyes.
It wasn't an unusual sight to see. The mild blues and purples from the sheer exhaustion came sporadically, however, this was different. It wasn't simply from the Council and the Equalists as it had been as of late. No. It was the combination of work and his own handiwork at attempting to track down that person who caught him and Korra in the showers. It's been a little more than a few days since he discovered that note perched so delicately, so mockingly, on his desk and to say he'd been stressed was an understatement.
He pocketed that note and inspected the writing, the wording, and the anonymous 'N' they signed it with once he returned home. Spirits, he couldn't form any guesses as to who it could be.
A part of him contemplated whether or not it was his companions from the Blue Bearcat. If they had some part in this, merely to cause some panic and disorder from the little content he could manage after years of him assuming the notion was fictitious. However, just as his other theories, it didn't coincide with what happened that night.
Tarrlok knew them well enough that they wouldn't simply remain quiet on the subject. If it were, there'd be a myriad of innuendos thrown about, and a few congratulations strewn in the mix due to the fact that he was screwing someone after so long.
He had to shake his head at the thought as he hung the damp towel behind him and brushed the tangles out of his hair. It wasn't them. He'd know in an instant if they were lying to him and considering he met with them once since the incident, they were completely oblivious to his relations with the Avatar, other than the obvious professional regard of her being on his Task Force.
A fortunate thing, surely.
Suddenly, a morbid line of thought came trickling in as he glanced at his reflection and slowed his movements the longer he mused over the possibility.
Had it been Noatak?
No. Of course, not.
He snorted aloud and scratched his jawline in response. There was no way, after years and years of his older brother being dead and gone to the world that gusts of wind could write a note as eloquent and ambiguous as it was.
With a sigh, Tarrlok conceded to the fact that this was merely someone that would never come forward, unless it benefitted them. He placed the brush down in its designated spot and ran his fingers through his soft hair as he decided to abandon his efforts in finding this stranger.
However, when Tarrlok entered his bedroom, he froze in his spot as his eyes scanned the familiar area in mild scrutiny, a foreboding sensation lancing down his spine and causing goosebumps to form on his skin. He must've looked like some sort of fool standing at the doorway, looking around in nothing but bewilderment, yet he couldn't shake the feeling of eyes on him. As though someone were watching him.
As long as he'd been on the Council, the feeling was familiar, though this felt cold in a way. Even considered menacing. Generally, the many eyes regarded him in awe, or perhaps merely waited for their question to be answered in the midst of a press conference. He certainly hadn't felt this unrelenting gaze in a long while, not since working as an intern all those years ago.
Strangely familiar, yet completely foreign, Tarrlok narrowed pale blue and warily made his way around the perimeter of his bed.
After he found that note on his desk, things seemed to have moved on their own. He wasn't one to believe in ghosts and whatnot, but he couldn't explain the cruel sensation of a pair of eyes on him, let alone a few of his belongings shifted to different corners of a table.
Just earlier that morning he'd been in a rush to dress himself for work, and in his haste to leave, he blindly grasped at his keys that were usually cradled in a dish beside the front door. Instead, they were dropped at the middle of his kitchen floor. How odd. At the time, he brushed it off as nothing more than them falling out of his pocket from the night prior, yet he couldn't be so sure the longer he dwelled on it.
Then another instance was when he returned home those few short hours ago. He took a routine piss and when he reentered his bedroom, the pale blue coat he adorned for work was draped haphazardly on his mattress, rather than dangling meticulously over his chaise longue.
Was it ghosts? If so, what prompted this? He hasn't had an issue with it until recently. Or maybe it really was Noatak. Haunting him and tormenting him from the great beyond even as nothing more than a phantom?
Surely, that was what was going on, right?
Then a darker, terrifying line of thought caused his blood to freeze. Was someone in his house? Living in his house without his knowledge? Pale blue widened at the thought. Tarrlok focused on his surroundings with tense muscles, yet the distinct throbbing of a heartbeat was nowhere to be found.
Perhaps he was merely paranoid. After this hellish week - more like two, if he had to admit - he was more than sure it was the stress and exhaustion creeping up on him and this was unfortunately the result of it. Rational thought trickled in and he scoffed, shaking his head. Spirits, what was he thinking? Noatak haunting him from some unmarked grave in the snow? Ghosts? A stranger living in his house?
Tarrlok tossed the sheets back with a flick of his wrists and made a move to finally catch up on some well-deserved sleep. Maybe then he'd get his head straightened and back to rationality once morning broke.
Before he could even prop his knee on the plush, inviting surface, harsh banging pounded at his front door and it was all he could do not to bristle and clutch at his bare chest at being scared out of his wits. Heat prickled his nerves as he hastily made his way out of his bedroom, down the steps, and to the front door. Who in spirits' name? It was nearly midnight.
Snapping the lock in irritation and swinging open the door, words of reprimand were at the tip of his tongue, ready to spill as his brow twitched. Yet that dissipated in a matter of seconds once he caught sight of his late night guest.
"Korra?"
The young Avatar leaned against the bricks of his house, her temple resting on the side with eyes glazed over in a veil of sorts. At the mention of her name, she halfheartedly perked up. "Heeeey, good looking." She greeted with a toothy grin, cocking her hip out and moving past him.
Just as the first time she visited, she acted as though she owned the place.
With his mind working at a snail's crawl, likely due to fatigue, Tarrlok closed the door and shook his head. "Korra, what're you doing here? Spirits, you stink of booze." He scowled as her scent wafted past him. It was certainly alcohol lingering on her clothes, and judging by the few damp spots on her clothing, he was sure she'd been out with friends doing who-knows-what.
Korra unsteadily spun to face him with a deadpan expression. "Well, yeah, dipshit. I've been drinking. Duh…" Tarrlok narrowed his eyes at the pet name. He didn't know what he expected, truthfully, but it wasn't that. Suddenly, her back straightened and her face was nothing but bemused, her intense gaze straying on his bare chest. "Why're you like… that? Wait a minute, you were expecting me to come over, huh?" She smiled knowingly.
Despite himself, he released a small chuckle, amused. "No, I was just about to go to bed. If you haven't noticed it's nearly midnight and I didn't expect to be having a visitor this late. But then again, you're long past inebriated so I assume you don't necessarily care or remember, correct?"
Korra snorted at that. "Nope! I wanna let loose and say fuck 'em!" Tarrlok winced at her colorful language that seemed to never cease to amaze him, yet her words slowly registered and he had to wonder what in spirits' name she was talking about. Before he could mention going to bed, she bounced up and down the slightest bit and gestured for his attention. "Oh, oh! You should bring out those cherries again. Show me how it's done. C'mon," she said in a sad attempt at being sultry this deep under the influence and grasped his wrist.
Korra tugged him towards the door to his garden, though he was sure she intended for the kitchen. Smiling, Tarrlok easily pulled her to him. "You're going the wrong way and don't change the subject, why are you here? Did anyone see you?" He pressed uneasily, even though he knew it was fruitless with her on cloud nine.
"Probably." She uttered happily.
"Korra," he wilted.
"Tarrlok," she mimicked, a giggle bubbling at the back of her throat.
Pale blue observed her. She was completely heedless and the loose muscles in her body proved his point. It was most certainly the alcohol, yet he couldn't stop the smile from etching on his face as he watched her subtly sway to and fro, attempting to grasp onto some semblance of balance. "I don't want to ask again," he said gently, his voice barely above a whisper as he roved his hands up from her wrists to her shoulders to steady her.
"Ugh! Fine! I wanted to see you because Mako and Asami were being so lovey dovey with each other, and I just like the way you make me feel. You know, like this… fuzzy feeling in me." Korra gestured to her stomach, vaguely motioning with her fingers a curling, stirring sensation that he understood well enough, but the sight alone was endearing. Especially coinciding with those words he was certain she didn't truly want to say aloud if she were sober.
Lips quirking further, Tarrlok wrapped an arm around her waist as she followed suit dazedly. "Come on, it's late and you look like you're about to pass out."
"Mn, probably." She mumbled, already leaning heavily against his side as they teetered up the steps to his bedroom. With each step, he was almost sure she'd been fast asleep, expecting to hear the resulting snore from her or maybe even a twitch, considering dead weight nearly pulled him down, though the fingers that rested at his hip lazily drew indecipherable patterns against his skin that told him otherwise. He was almost astonished that she was still awake with the amount of alcohol filtering through her blood.
Distantly, Tarrlok wondered how in the world she managed to get to his home this inebriated. He hoped one of her little friends was sober enough to drive her here, although he seriously doubted that. The woman was as stubborn as he was, more so now when under the influence, and he imagined she either took a taxi or bent her way to him. He liked to assume it was the former rather than the latter, but he wasn't sure.
Once they reached his bedroom, Tarrlok guided her to the mattress. Korra flopped unceremoniously with a slight bounce and he could only wince in response to the jarring movement. He shimmied her boots off and placed them methodically at the foot of his bed, then moved to slip his fingers under the hem of her shirt, peeling away her clothing one by one, until he awkwardly jerked the sweats down her legs.
A giggle escaped her, however, her face was as relaxed as if she were at the cusp of falling asleep. "You know, Councilman," she croaked. "For someone who's adamant about restraining himself on certain occasions, you sure are taking pleasure in doing this, huh?" The smile was evident in her voice, despite the slurred words.
Tarrlok released a curt exhale through his nose and smiled, taking extra care of folding her soiled clothes and duly noting to wake up a little earlier to wash them for her. "Korra, you know I'd be much more caring and teasing about it if I were doing this to get you aroused. But, I'm not. You have booze spilled down your shirt and sweats."
Her brows rose, though her eyes were still closed shut. "Mhm, sure."
Placing the clothes on his chest of drawers, he glanced back at her in mild concern. He was expecting her to doze off on him, or already succumb to sleep, yet her heartbeat told him she was still unmovingly awake. Slow and steady, but still fast enough that she wasn't dead to the world.
"Can you move yourself up?" He questioned, standing at the side of his bed.
In response, she made halfhearted, childish faces to mock him, but all he could do was smile at the adorable sight she made of lethargically, unsteadily, moving underneath the sheets and resting her cheek upon a pillow.
Tarrlok positioned himself beside her, gently kissing her temple, though a soft snore quickly met his ears. "Goodnight, Korra."
When she woke up, Korra couldn't process anything. Where she was, how she got there, and who she was with. She supposed that was a terrible thing when she was in nothing but her undergarments… How the hell did she get out of her clothes?
Korra glanced around her, groaning. The slow movements felt as though she were jerking to sudden mentions of her name. A dull throb pounded at her temples and her mouth was as dry as the Si Wong desert. Where was she? As groggy as her muddled brain was, she caught sight of the familiar silk sheets and the all too familiar Councilman opening the bathroom door and getting ready for yet another day at City Hall through bleary eyes.
Spirits, when did she even get to his house?
The sight alone was enough to cause her to smile, warmth tickling her cheeks, despite it slowly registering why she was flushing in the first place. He had a towel wrapped around his hips, his hair wet and clinging to his skin as he moved about the room in search of some clothes. So unfortunate was it, because he made a very admiring image.
Soft, scratchy jazz was playing in the background as the gramophone near his bathroom hummed a relaxing tune. A part of her knew she could fall right back asleep if she propped her head upon that pillow once again, but instead, she perched herself up by her elbows.
Abruptly, he rifled through his drawers and grasped onto a pair of briefs, the towel falling down in a heap at his feet. Korra's brows rose and a knowing smile lined her lips at the sight of his bare ass. Plump and toned. Ready for her to grasp or smack if she had enough energy to get up from her all too comfortable spot on his bed.
Surely, he knew she was awake, right? Surely, he was doing this just to entice her, right?
It only then occurred to her that it must've been past dawn, given the bright rays of sunlight filtered through the lack of drawn curtains. Spirits, it nearly blinded her in the process, but her muscles grew taut at the notion that Tenzin likely knew she was missing. She only hoped he didn't know who she was with lest Tarrlok was gravely injured from being thrown into Yue Bay.
Regardless, she decided to take this all in stride. If she was already late for training and in trouble for leaving the Island, the least she could do was get some delight out of this. Watching him and poorly attempting to stifle a yawn, Tarrlok glanced over his shoulder at the sound and smirked teasingly. She knew it was probably because she looked like a mess, but she didn't care at the moment. She stretched her limbs, her joints popping and bones cracking deliciously, before braving a move towards her neatly folded clothes.
Did he do that?
Korra mimicked him and got herself ready for the day, despite the overwhelming desire to return to his bed and sleep once more. Her clothes, even as washed and clean as they were, smelt of his usual scent that caused warmth to stir at the pit of her stomach. She washed her face and brushed her teeth and managed to get the tangles out of her hair, while Tarrlok shaved the little stubble on his skin and shrugged on his usual work attire.
Not many words were exchanged between them, the only sound coming from his gramophone, but she couldn't deny there was something warm that sparked. Whether it was the unspoken sheepishness of knowing she was piss drunk the night before, or it was something else entirely, Korra tried to stifle the unrelenting smile making its way on her face.
When she was done, ready to leave the warm confines of his home, Tarrlok followed her out. Something about this was endearing, but she couldn't place her finger on it.
Korra hesitated as she outstretched her arm to grasp the knob, acutely aware of his presence behind her. Chewing at her lower lip, she swiveled on the balls of her feet and leaned her back against the door, fully facing him sheepishly. "Hey, um, I don't remember a lot, but thanks for everything." She said, her voice nearly inaudible.
A genuine smile curved the corners of his lips, though it was gone and replaced with that trademark smug smirk of his in a matter of seconds. "Aww, Korra, are you finally growing fond of me? I'm flattered." He cooed teasingly, tucking a few stray tendrils at the side of her face behind an ear.
"Shut up," she batted his hand away, but it was lackluster at best. She bit her lower lip again, simply searching his face and relishing his cozy scent wrapped around her. "Seriously, thanks." She said bashfully, tilting her head to the side, before moving on impulse. Korra stretched on the tips of her toes and captured his lips in a kiss. It was chaste, lazy, yet she could feel the unspoken emotion radiating from him, and subconsciously, from her as well.
Pulling away, she settled back on her feet.
"It's no problem. Although, I do believe you need to lay off on the alcohol… even for a little bit." Korra chuckled. She really should, now that she thought about it. Silence lapsed over them and when she sensed Tarrlok wanted to pull her into another kiss, he stopped midway and uttered, "You better go, before Tenzin worries and finds out where you've been."
"He worries, regardless." She replied smugly.
Tarrlok guided her out, and as much as she should've been more careful, she couldn't stop herself from bending, gliding down the streets and across the bay as fast as she could muster. She was sure someone caught sight of her, but with the alcohol still lethargically leaving her system and the dull headache pounding at her temples, Korra returned back to the Island unceremoniously.
She wasn't even trying to hide the fact that she'd been gone, considering the guards that were usually posted at the entrance of the Air Temple weren't present. Instead, they were probably running back and forth in an attempt to quell Tenzin's worries.
Idly making her way down the path to her bedroom, she bumped into a hastily pacing Ikki. "Oh, hey, Korra!" She beamed in surprise, almost as though she were shocked that she was talking to her in the first place.
"Hey, Ikki." She greeted stiffly.
Jutting her hip out and propping a tiny hand upon her waist, Ikki tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Where've you been? Dad's been looking everywhere for you! He even had the guards search the Air Temple because he thought Amon kidnapped you or something."
Kidnapped? By Amon?
Korra scratched at the nape of her neck and awkwardly shook her head. "Oh, um… no. I was with Asami." She lied. Well, it wasn't a complete lie when she really was with Asami for the better part of the night… except when she unconsciously decided to pay the Councilman a late night visit that she still had no recollection of doing.
"Hm," she hummed in response, though before Korra could question that, Ikki was already yelling at no one in particular. "Dad! I found her!" She screamed towards the hallway.
Korra winced at the shrill, boisterous voice of the airbending kid. Spirits, how did she have that much in her? Just like Meelo, both were so loud. Did they just bottle everything up with a ball of energy? The words rang in her ears as the sound of Tenzin's hurried footsteps were practically tuned out.
Suddenly, Tenzin was at her front. "Korra, are you alright?" He asked, face full of blatant concern as he grasped her shoulders and inspected every inch of her exposed skin in search of any injuries.
She wanted to push him away for that, but the energy she had merely getting back to the Island was gone. It felt like a chore to blink her stinging eyes, and all she wanted to do was run a bath or sleep for the better part of the day. Nodding, Korra heaved in a large inhale. "Yeah, just a bit hungover."
Tenzin pulled back, nothing but confusion etched on his aged face. "Why were you- Where were you..?" He sputtered. An inappropriate chuckle threatened to escape her lips, though thankfully, she had half a mind to refrain.
"Team Avatar was at Asami's estate. Things just got out of hand that I ended up staying there for the night." She lied with a shrug. Whether or not he believed her wasn't that important, but it dawned on her that the need to lie to everyone was coming easier and easier with each fabricated truth. Korra didn't know if that was a good thing or not, considering the man she's been around repeatedly.
There was a pause and movement to her right as Ikki shifted her weight with pursed lips and crossed arms. Almost as though she sensed the fib, too. "You're not lying to me, are you? We contacted Sato and he said you weren't there." Tenzin said with narrowed eyes.
Korra snorted at that. "I'm pretty sure I know where I was last night, Tenzin. Besides, Hiroshi wasn't there at all. He was at one of his warehouses with Future Industry stuff, like, all night. Asami even said he had a big meeting with an investor." She lied easily. After her talk with Asami, her friend seemed to make it easy enough to conjure a fib that could be passed off as questionable and believable.
And judging from his face, it was working.
Tenzin harrumphed. The sound was evident enough that told her he didn't fully believe her words, though he seemed to leave it at that with a sigh and wilted. "Come on, I'll make you some tea to get rid of that headache." He said, guiding her towards the hallway he entered, but Korra stopped him.
"Actually, can you put it in my room? I think I just need a bath, I feel disgusting." She cringed.
"Of course," Tenzin nodded once. With that, he made a move to return to the kitchen, as she realized someone was still at her side. She only took two steps towards her bedroom, but it seemed as though it were enough to catch Ikki's attention.
"Korra? Why do you smell like ponytail ma- ow!" She asked, her voice cutting short when Korra panicked and bent a stray pebble to the kid's forehead.
With muscles grown taut, she hoped Tenzin didn't hear that.
—-
A/N: I just realized how much alcohol/drinking is in this fic, and I'm sorry lmaooo