Model Behavior
Summary: Modern/AU. Korra thought it was an ordinary day of art class at Republic School for the Gifted. But then, the art model Asami Sato walked into the room... Korrasami
Chapter 9: Calm Before the Storm
Korra: -11:32 AM- Are you busy? I need to talk to you
Asami: -11:32 AM- I have unscheduled period right now, but I can't leave. Working on Senior Project
She waited patiently for her phone to buzz with another text and was surprised when she saw Korra was calling."What's up?" Asami asked after hitting the ANSWER key. "Is something wrong?"
"No, I wanted to apologize about the love comment I made a few days ago," Korra said.
"What are you talking about?" Asami muttered. She held her phone in the crook of her neck and her ear before looking over the blueprints sitting on her desk.
"When I said I love my friends and then you said I didn't love you," she answered.
Asami frowned before smiling. She rolled her eyes and took a seat on her stool. "Korra-"
"I didn't mean to put you out or anything."
"Korra-"
"Sometimes I talk without thinking," Korra continued. "You know something about me that Mako and Bolin don't, which is kind of the point, but I technically didn't have to tell you." She took a deep breath. "Something about you makes it so easy to talk to you and I don't want to ruin anything."
"Korra!" Asami practically shouted. "I was joking when I made the comment," she announced.
"…You were?"
"Yeah." Asami's smile slowly faded. She started to trace her finger around the design she was working on. "I thought that was obvious," she muttered.
Korra burst out laughing on her end of the phone. Asami would have found it funny too if she wasn't so bothered about the misunderstanding. "You know, we've only been friends for about a month and I have to be honest, you are terrible when it comes to jokes."
"I am?" Asami's eyebrows rose as she processed the news.
"But that's not a bad thing," Korra quickly added. "I just think it's because you're very smart. Like, when you blurted out the fact about their being a place called Hell in the Fire Nation."
"Yeah, I ruined that joke," she sighed.
"No, that's a part of your charm." Asami felt herself smile. "No one else I know can do what you do. It's really cool." She tried to find the words to thank Korra but couldn't. She felt a tear trickle down her cheek Asami blinked in surprise as she touched it with her cheek.
I've never cried from happiness before.
"Well, all I called for was to apologize but now that I don't have to I guess I'll hang up," Korra said.
"Okay, I'll see you at practice tonight." Asami paused when she heard Korra make a sound of reluctance. "What"
"You don't want to come," Korra said slowly. "We haven't been doing too well."
"What's wrong?"
"We've just been out of sync," she admitted. "It could be nerves about the tournament coming up next month. I don't know. Lately things have been off."
"Oh, well Mako invited me."
"Of course he did," Korra mumbled.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing."
"Opal is going to go too," Asami added, "to cheer on Bolin."
"Oh, so I'm the only one without a cheering section?" Korra asked.
"Do you want me and Opal to help find you someone?" Asami said with a sly smile. "From what I hear, Tahno may be interested."
"I will never betray my team for the enemy," she said dramatically. Asami laughed loudly which resulted in Korra joining in. "I'll see you later."
Asami hung up her phone. She looked up when she heard the door to the classroom open. She forced herself not to show her discomfort as Rika sauntered into the room.
"So I guess you really are crazy if you're laughing at yourself, because clearly, no one else is here," Rika taunted.
"I was on the phone with my friend," Asami explained.
"So you say. Does she know about your dad?"
"Yes, and she doesn't care."
Rika scoffed. Asami continued to straighten up the room but couldn't help but eye the other girl as she moved around. "The Avatar doesn't care that your dad helped supply equipment to a group of rogue people set out to get rid of her bending?" she asked.
"No, because she knows it was my father and not me."
"Right, it's always about our parents," Rika muttered. Asami wasn't entirely sure if she had said something at first, because the girl's lips had barely even moved. "So if it's like father like daughter, in your case, does this mean you'll soon go crazy and end up in prison? I can only hope."
"Rika," Asami said as she gathered up her items. She placed them into her school bag before placing it onto her shoulder. Asami walked over to Rika by the door. She paused and looked her dead in the eye. "Bite me," she snapped.
Rika's jaw dropped in shock. Asami quickly exited the room. Once she closed the door behind her she heard the handle begin to rattle.
Her hands were shaking.
-One Month Later-
Korra groaned as Mako missed the dummy that was standing at the other end of the room. His firebending missed it by a few inches to the right.
"It's okay, sweetie, you'll get it," Asami called out. She and Opal were sitting on a bench in the room watching the practice. Opal had a tight grip on Asami's arm, flinching every time the dummy would get smacked by one of their elements. She would occasionally ask Asami some questions.
Korra rolled her eyes before motioning over to Bolin to attack the dummy with her. He didn't catch the look. He was too busy showing off a bit for Opal. After their first date the two had continued to hang out with each other, but still not declaring anything.
"Bolin! Can we focus please? The tournament is getting closer
"Right," Mako said as he cleared his throat.
"Got it," Bolin nodded.
"Let's try the hybrid combo again," Korra suggested. She rolled her head around a few times before clenching her hands into fists. She shifted into a stance and started to bounce lightly on the balls of her feet.
"Since when did you become captain?" he muttered.
"Since you two decided not to pay attention," she shouted. Bolin flinched and Mako looked at her in surprise. Opal instantly stopped talking to Asami. The engineer looked in between the three of them. Korra took a deep breath. "We have to get this right," she said quietly.
Bolin and Mako shrugged before shifting into a stance. Korra took a few steps forward and bent water like a whip at the dummy's feet. Bolin stomped his foot into the ground and then punched forward, pushing a disc of earth at the dummy's midsection, while Mako performed a quick martial arts combo before punching a burst of flames.
The heat from Mako's firebending caused Korra's water to instantly turn into vapor as he bent it towards the dummy's feet instead of its head. Bolin's earth disc hit the dummy in its knees before dropping to the ground.
Korra let out a roar of frustration as she ripped her helmet off of her head. "Okay, I can't take it anymore." She stormed over to her sports bag before shoving the helmet into her bag.
"What's wrong?" Bolin asked.
"What's wrong?" She quickly turned to face him. Bolin let out a light whimper and hid behind Opal and Asami, who had gotten up when Korra stormed over to her bag. "Our team is falling apart. We haven't had a decent practice since you two," she pointed to Opal and Bolin, "…and you two," she pointed between Mako and Asami, "got together. How are we going to win the tournament?
"Is someone jealous that they're alone?" Opal asked. Clearly she was joking but the comment caused Korra to yank at her hair.
"How many times are people going to ask me that?" she demanded.
"Relax, I was joking."
"Korra, what's really bothering you?" Mako demanded. "I can tell when you're about to explode. And this time, it may be literal."
"Nothing," she snapped. She grabbed her sports bag. "I'm going to go do my cool down." With that, she stormed out of the room and headed into the gym with all of the elliptical equipment. Korra dropped her bag by the door before climbing onto a set of skis. She started to rapidly pump her legs.
A few moments later the door opened and then closed. Without looking to see who had entered the room, Korra quickened her pace.
"So much for a cool down," Mako commented. He reached out and pressed the incline button before holding it higher the inclince went the slower Korra started to move. After a while she was grunting trying to force the skis into motion. Mako quickly pulled her down off of the equipment. "You might want to stop before you break it, and I believe you could."
"What?" she snapped while panting. "What do you want?"
Mako crossed his arms over his chest. "Are you bothered about me and Asami dating?" he asked.
Korra blinked. "No."
"You're such a terrible liar," he scoffed.
"I'm not lying." She couldn't help but raise her voice a little bit. She walked over to a nearby mat and picked up a medicine ball. She tossed it hard into the ground and caught it as it bounced back up. She repeated this over and over again.
"Just tell the truth, Korra," he insisted. She didn't have to look at him to know that he was somewhat happy with her reaction and that he had figured it out. "It makes your skin crawl that I'm seeing her. You just have to deal with it."
"You deal with it." Korra chest passed him the medicine ball. He grunted in pain as it slammed into his abdomen. She couldn't help but smile at his reaction.
"I am!" he coughed before straightening back up. "You're the one in denial." He threw the ball back to her. Korra easily caught it in one hand. She tossed it over her shoulder before regarding him.
"That's not it, Mako," she said quietly.
Mako was surprised at her sudden change of tone. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Then what is it?" he asked.
"I'm not doing this."
"Just tell me what's wrong," he pleaded. "You used to tell me everything. I thought we were best friends? Even though you're crazy, and annoying, and get upset way too quickly,and-"
"I get the point," she snapped.
"Look, whatever this is, clearly involves the two of us." Mako placed his hands on her shoulders. "Well, I guess the three of us, but I'm listening. What is it?"
"Every time you get a new girlfriend, you disappear," Korra explained. "You've ditched me many times in the past because of someone you're interested. Or you change plans on a whim and then leave me and Bolin out to dry." Mako slowly took his hands off of her shoulders before taking a step back. "Isn't it always friends before significant others?"
"Isn't that how relationships work?" Mako questioned. "You spend time with them to get to know them."
"But all the time?" Korra insisted. "I haven't been able to hang out with just you or just Asami for a while. Isn't that what you wanted me to do in the first place? Be friends with her? At irst I did it for you, but now I like hang out with her too but I don't get to do that as much without having to see Masami
"Masami?" he repeated.
"Yeah, like Brangelina or TomKat," she listed off. "Or…Bopal."
"Bopal?"
"I couldn't think of anything better," she admitted. "It was either that or Oplin. Although, I can't use their new name until they're official."
"I can see where you're coming from but that's what happens in life. Eventually we're both going to marry and we're going to have to get used to not always being there for each other. At least physically," Mako said gently. "Look, when we broke up, we agreed that we argue too much to be together. I'll always love you, and that will never change."
"Me too," Korra said.
The door to the room opened. Korra quickly took a step back and ran a hand through her hair as Asami entered the room. "Hey, there you two are," she called out while walking over. "Bolin and Opal just left."
"I'm going to head out and grab something to eat at the coffee shop across the street," Korra said while crossing the room to grab her sports bag. "I'll leave you two alone."
"Would you mind if I joined you?" Asami asked.
"No problem." Korra shrugged. "Just come over when you're done. I'll order you something."
Korra exited the gym and breathed deeply. Rain clouds had started to roll in. She walked over to the coffee shop and took a booth by the front windows so that Asami would see her when she walked in. She ordered two smores flavored iced coffees and a piece of pie for herself before taking her seat.
She checked her messages on her phone for the next twenty minutes before the bell to the font door clanged, signaling that someone had entered. Before Korra could look up, Asami slipped into the seat opposite of her. She dropped her jacket onto the cushion to her left before fluffing up her hair. Korra placed her phone onto the table before looking up at her.
"…Does Mako always take forever to make up his mind on something?" Asami asked.
Korra gasped. Asami watched in confusion as she looked at her with amusement. "You noticed that too?" she wondered. Asami started to chuckle. "Isn't it annoying?"
"It really is," she agreed.
"Sometimes I wonder how he gets dressed in the morning," Korra admitted. Asami threw her head back and laughed. She dabbed at the corners of her eyes and checked her fingers to make sure her makeup didn't start to run. "I ask for his opinion on a lot of things and all he ever says is-"
"Whatever you think is best," Korra and Asami said at the same time. They began to laugh again. A few people in the shop turned to look at them for a brief moment. "Exactly."
"I mean, if I don't know what decision to make, his advice doesn't really help," Korra continued.
Asami nodded as she caught her breath. She took a sip of her drink before pointing across the table at Korra. "Just so you know, you owe me for lying about how you actually felt." Korra's eyes widened a bit before squinting. "I kind of overheard you talking at the gym, but Mako had told me back when we went to the club." Korra hummed in response before taking a bite of her pie. "So, I'll ask you again: Do you love, Mako?"
Korra held up her finger as she chewed. Asami stirred her drink as she waited. After a minute, Korra propped her elbows up on the table before curling her fingers together. "Yes," she admitted, "but I don't think you can ever truly get over your first love. Like you and Iroh."
"I told you; looking back I wasn't actually in love. I don't think I've ever really known what love is."
"What about Mako?" Korra lifted her plate and pointed at the pie with her fork, before raising her eyebrows, silently asking Asami if she'd like some. Asami smiled before waving her hand. Korra shrugged and took another bite.
"We just broke up," Asami announced.
Korra's eyes widened. "Really? It's only been about a month and a half. What about all the sweeties and honeys?"
"Okay, I admit, we kind of over did it." Korra made a face. For the past month or so that they had been dating those two pet names was what she mainly heard coming from their mouths on the rare instances she was able to see them, both together and individually. As a result, Korra spent a majority of her time with Opal and Bolin. They didn't use pet names, which Korra was greatful for. Petnames to her was something that was just too...cute, and she can't stand cute. "He is different than Iroh. It was a lot easier with him seeing as we never really fought. It was a refreshing change of pace which is probably why I jumped right into it, which is ironic, because I keep telling Opal to take things slow. I did really like him, though. I wasn't doing it to make you jealous."
"Why would you think I was jealous?"
"Oh, I don't know," Asami said teasingly. "You storming out of rooms and yelling at people, and muttering sarcastic remarks under your breath on the phone," she trailed off.
Korra blushed in embarrassment. "You heard that?"
"I did."
"Like I told him: I wasn't jealous because it isn't me he's dating," Korra said. "I just don't like change or the idea of him not being around. He was my first friend here and he's very important to me."
"Yeah, I get that. That's why we broke it off. We felt that it'd be too weird to try and pursue something with your history." Asami shrugged. The Avatar groaned while running a hand through her hair. "To be honest, I don't think he ever fully got over you, either," she continued. She turned and looked out the coffee shop's window. It had started to rain. She followed the raindrops trickling their way down the window. "I kind of think he was only dating me so he wouldn't have to deal with his feelings for you, and I respect myself too much to get hurt again."
"That is understandable." Korra pointed at Asami with her fork. "Call us even on the lying thing, though."
"Why?" Asami focused her attention back to Korra. "I never lied to you."
Korra raised an eyebrow before half smiling. "Does your school actually have a racetrack?" she asked. Asami felt heat rush up the back of her neck. "Did you win a contest to design a satomobile?"
"…Oh, right," she said slowly as she recalled her words. A flush rose to her cheeks. Asami smiled sheepishly. "Call us even."
"That's what I thought you'd say."
Asami waited patiently as Korra finished off her pie. She tossed some yuan onto the table before getting up out of the booth. Upon exiting the coffee shop, Korra lifted her hand in the air, and waterbent the rain around them, acting like an invisible umbrella.
The two talked quietly as they walked the streets of Republic City towards Mako's and Bolin's apartment. As they passed an alleyway between two stores, they heard a loud scream. The two paused and watched as a man grabbed a purse out of a woman's hands and roughly pushed her up against the brick wall of one of the stores.
Korra was about to walk over, but Asami brushed past her. The man didn't see Asami coming. She quickly slipped her arms under his and pulled him off of the woman, throwing him about three feet away. The guy grunted as he landed on the ground and rolled.
Asami crouched down low and swept her leg out towards his ankles as he got this feet. His feet flew out from underneath him and he fell to the ground once more. She reached into her purse and pulled out a brown and black glove. A glowing green orb nestled at the wrist. Asami quickly charged it before placing it onto the man's arm.
With the combination of the electricity and the rain, the man instantly began to jerk as the current swam across his body. The woman screamed at the intensity. Asami removed her hand after a few seconds. The man groaned and grew still. She used her other hand and checked his pulse before standing up.
"Don't be scared," Asami said gently as she slipped the glove off of her hand. "I'm not an Equalist or a Chi Blocker. I just use this for my protection," she explained while slowly holding out the woman's purse.
The woman nodded rapidly before grabbing her bag with shaking hands. She smiled graciously. "Thank you, miss."
"No problem, ma'am," Asami said with a nod. She handed the woman back her purse. Korra stood back as the two exchanged phone numbers. She heard Asami say something about police and making sure she got home okay. Once the two went their separate ways, Asami stuffed her hands into her pockets and continued down the street as Korra rushed up behind her.
"That was awesome!" she exclaimed.
"What was?" Asami asked while brushing her damp hair out of her face.
"You need to teach me non-bending sparring because it could really come in handy," Korra insisted. Asami laughed through her nose at her excitement.
"When my schedule opens up a bit more, I'll teach you all that you want to know," she suggested.
"When will that be?"
"After my Senior Project Presentation in January. At the earliest."
Korra groaned. Asami watched in fascination as she stomped her foot. "But that's so far away," she whined.
"It's only three months. I think you can live."
"Okay, fine." Korra quickened her pace so that she could keep up with Asami. Her breathing pattern hadn't changed which meant, to Asami, that she was in much better shape than she had initially thought aside from noticing the girl's bulging muscles. "Fall Break is coming up. It'll be after the tournament," Korra changed the subject. "Mako, Bolin and I were going to head to my place in the South Pole. Of course my parents will be coming back with us for Family Weekend and Spirit Week the weekend after. Anyway, do you want to come?"
Oh no! Asami stopped walking once she heard the word family. She was sure she had a look of total fear on her face. She quickly changed it to a look of regret as Korra stopped and turned to look at her. "Oh, I can't. I have school at that time."
"When is your Fall Break?" Korra wondered.
"My school doesn't have a Fall Break," Asami explained. She felt her feet again and forced herself to behind walking once more.
Korra grabbed Asami's arm. "How do you survive?" she asked, with a look of horror. "The way Republic is set up we basically have some sort of break once a month."
"It's very competitive," she said with a shrug."They expect us to study and stuff all the time. Besides, I'm busy that weekend with some stuff."
"Oh okay. No problem." Korra reached into her pocket as her cell phone started to ring. "Oh, it's my mom," she announced before answering the phone. "Hey mom! Yeah, we almost have the plans finished. Nothing, just heading back to my apartment."
"My apartment?" Asami mouthed. Korra rolled her eyes.
"No, I'm not by myself. I'm with my best friend, Asami." Asami couldn't help but clasp a hand over her mouth and do a small jump as she heard those words. Korra looked at her and shook her head playfully. "Sure, hang on," she said before holing out her cell phone in Asami's direction. "My mom wants to talk to you."
"Best friend?"
"Well, best girl friend," Korra corrected. Mako and Bolin are interchangeable for my best guy friend depending on the day. Or my mood. Or how much they annoy me," she winked.
Asami laughed before placing Korra's cell phone to her ear.
I actually have a best friend. I'm someone's best friend. Things couldn't get any better.
AN: Yep, that's right. Two chapters in a week! I have started to outline this story which is why I was able to post this next chapter so quickly. The plot is going to start picking up, hence the title of this chapter. As for the upcoming tournament, I haven't decided if I want to fully describe it or just mention somewhat in passing the results. Writing fight scenes and bending is very hard, which is why I'm apprehensive about tackling that part of the story.
And for those asking about Korrasami, give it 5 or so more chapters. I promise, you'll like it, and the meaning of the "hidden reference" in the last chapter will come out around then as well. :)
