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 23: Christmas

Through her haze, Asami felt her body being jostled, back and forth. She muttered under her breath, reaching her arm out from underneath her covers, swatting at the air. The shaking only intensified. A second later, she felt her bed jumping around, bouncing her up and down. "Whazzhappanin?" she mumbled. The bouncing concluded with one last jumped. Asami sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Is there an earthquake?" She forced her eyelids open, wincing at the light shining through her bedroom window. It was then she noticed Korra seated on her bed, crossed legged, watching her with an amused smile. "What? What it is?" she asked.

"It's Christmas, that's what it is," Korra announced.

"That seems kind of trivial doesn't it?" Asami asked, flopping back onto her pillow. She placed her hands onto her stomach as she stared up at the ceiling.. "With everything that's happened in the last few days, it just seems weird to celebrate something so cheerful."

"It beats spending it in jail," she pointed out. Korra instantly softened. "I know…that it seems out of place, what with Tenzin and his family in hiding, Lin losing her bending, and the city under siege…"

In the few days between the Republic City being declared at War, and Christmas Day, the Equalists had upper their attack on the city. While Korra had gone to try and talk to Tarrlok out of his methods in keeping the city safe, Korra ended kidnapped while Mako, Bolin, and Asami were arrested under false accusations. Lin was able to rescue them from their imprisonment while Korra broke free of the container Tarrlok had locked her in. While there was no word on where he had gone to, she had stayed up most of the night since then, trying to track him down. Lin had informed her that Tenzin's family went into hiding from the recent attacks on the councilman members of the city. The Avatar didn't hear of her encounter with Amon until a few days ago after Mako brought up the news.

"To name a few," the engineer scoffed.

"But, I feel like we all could use a little bit of hope." Korra shrugged, dragging her finger across the sewing pattern on the comforter. "That's what this holiday is all about." She then reached out and grabbed Asami by the wrist, pulling her up off of the bed to face her. "Plus, I gave you my Avatar promise that you would have a fantastic Christmas."

"Ok," Asami sighed. Korra excitedly did a backward somersault off of the end of the bed. Naga slowly walked into the room, sniffing the ground. She marched herself over to a pair of Asami's work shoes sitting by her bathroom door. "No, Naga, don't!" she ordered.

"Hey, "Korra shouted! She put two fingers to her lips and whistled loudly. Naga's ears perked up when she heard the sound. Her owner then slapped her thigh twice. The polar-bear dog's ears instantly folded back. She whimpered lightly before lowering her head, walking slowly over to the darker girl. "You know what I told you. You listen to two people now. Understand?"

Naga whimpered before sticking her nose into Korra's hand. She then sniffed it hard before moving over to her pocket. She barked happily, her tail wagging against the floor. "No, girl, because you didn't listen, you get your present later." The Avatar snapped her fingers and pointed out of the room. The polar-bear dog gave her hand a soft lick before making her way back out of the room. "Now don't bother us, Asami and I have a lot of work to do."

"We do?" Asami asked. She slipped out of the bed, shivering at the cool temperature in the room. "What are we doing?"

"We are going to build a fort in the living room," Korra announced, her chest puffing out with pride. The raven-haired girl regarded her with a confused look. She blinked slowly, tilting her head to the side in thought.

"What are we going to make it out of?" she finally asked.

"Pillows, blankets, chairs, the couch, whatever we can find." The Avatar tugged at the sheets on Asami's bed before they finally pulled out from being tucked underneath the mattress. "Come on, you've made one before right?" she grabbed the pillows from the bed, tucking them under her arm. Turning, she paused when Asami glanced back at her, eyebrows furrowed. "Oh my spirits," she said slowly.

"But it's so cold out there," the engineer almost whined. She bounced on the balls of her sock covered feet, rubbing her arms. Dressed in a long sleeved shirt and pajama pants, she scurried over to the thermostat next to her bedroom door, peering at the reading on the screen.

"Which is why we'll be warmer in the fort," Korra concluded. "Come on, it'll be fun. With you being an engineer this will be the best fort ever!" she kicked Asami's backside. "Let's go," she ordered behind the pile of bedding in her arms. Asami shrugged before stepping out of the room, directing Korra into the living room with the sound of her voice.

In the next forty-five minutes, Asami and Korra worked together to turn the living room into a giant fort. With Korra's strength, and Asami's critical eye for detail, they were able to balance a few chairs along the frame of the couch to cause for the fort to have a higher ceiling. Blankets of various colors and length, bed sheets, and a few towels made up the walls of the structure, and pillows lined the floor to create a seating area.

Korra had specifically made sure that the fort included the coffee table and the television inside so that they would have a place to put their items and be entertained at the same time. Asami was able to string up old Christmas lights on the inside of the fort to give them some proper lighting. The construction wouldn't have taken them as long if she didn't initiate a pillow fight, although Korra did start it by making comments about Asami delegating the work and not joining on the construction with her "noodle arms". Eventually the Avatar admitted defeat after the engineer was able to pin her down to the ground in an ankle lock.

"Korra, may I ask you something?" Asami asked, taking a sip of her hot chocolate. The coffee table was littered with bowls filled with different candies, cookies, and popcorn. Korra had stayed up late into the night, preparing the food while Asami crashed early from being consumed by Future Industries work.

"Is this one of your official questions?" she asked around a mouthful of cookies. The engineer smiled softly, reaching out and wiping a smear of chocolate off of the Avatar's chin before shaking her head. "Shoot."

"Are you okay?" she wondered. "After being kidnapped I mean?"

The darker girl's chewing slowed as silence filled the fort. Asami slumped a little low against the base of the couch. She stared at the intricate snowflake design on her mug, waiting for a response. Finally, Korra swallowed the lump of food before washing it down with her own mug of hot chocolate. "I guess," she shrugged. "I was worried, wondering what was happening to you all in jail but, I was also scared." Korra peered down at the chocolatey swirls in her mug. "I had faced Amon once before, and that led to nightmares. Tarrlok was planning on making it so that I disappeared. I don't know why I trusted him."

"You were just doing what you thought was right," Asami said, scooting a bit closer to Korra's side. She relaxed as she felt warmth radiating off of the Avatar's body, instantly warming her. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"They shouldn't be using their powers to eliminate powers," Korra continued, her blue eyes fixed on her mug. "It makes no sense. I'm the Avatar, and I was used like a pawn in their own game. I understand equality but they're using fear to get their way. I will stop Amon from terrorizing the city." Her grip tightened on the handle. Asami jumped when she heard the ceramic cracking underneath the tight grip.

"I know," the engineer said. She slowly reached out, uncurling Korra's hands from around the mug. "I believe you will."

"Enough of this sad talk." Korra's eyes brightened once more. "This is supposed to be a special Christmas for you. We need music." With that she crawled out of the small opening to the fort and made her way towards her bedroom. Asami laid down on the pillow covered floor, placing her hands underneath the base of her head, staring up at the Christmas lights. She reached up and turned the switch on the cord, hanging by her left ear. The lights started to gently brighten and face, causing the fort to be filled with multiple colors.

"What's this song?" Asami asked as Korra re-entered the fort, her laptop in her hands. The Avatar moved the bowls around on the coffee table to make room for her laptop. Turning up the volume, she hummed softly along with the music before laying down next to the engineer.

"It's one of my favorites," Korra said with a smile. "It's 'Another Year Has Gone By' by Celine Dion."

Asami couldn't help but let out a bark of laughter. The darker girl turned towards her with a raised eyebrow. "You never struck me as someone who'd listen to female singers," she said sheepishly. Her shoulder shook as she forced herself to keep her laughter inside her chest. "Your music playlist is filled with hardcore rock."

Korra turned onto her side, resting her head on her left bicep. She looked down at one of the pillows beneath her arm, tracing the fringe with a finger. "Well, there's a lot of stuff I don't tell people," she muttered.

"Why not?"

She sighed hard, before shrugging. "It's kind of embarrassing. People wouldn't take me seriously if I told them I like girl things." Asami turned onto her side, facing the Avatar, fluffing up the pillow underneath her head. Her eyes narrowed a bit in confusion. "Things like getting dressed up or getting my nails done," she explained.

"I've never seen you with your nails painted."

"That's because I'm always wearing shoes," Korra admitted, curling her feet up underneath her. A light blush crept across her cheeks. "Oh wait, this is the best part. Just listen to the harmony." She sat up and increased the volume as the song reached the chorus.

"That's a really nice song," Asami commented. "It has a good message to it." She turned and flopped onto her stomach, wrapping her arms around the pillow in front of her. Korra did the same, resting her chin on the pillow.

"You know, I pegged you wrong when we first met," Korra said quietly. "I apologize for trying to push you away. It's good to have a close friend that's a girl. Some of these things, the guys just wouldn't understand." She snickered. "Although, Bolin could be an exception."

Asami giggled. "I think we fit because we're both something each of us haven't had growing up," she answered. Turning her head, so that her right ear rested on the pillow, she scanned the side of the Avatar's face, noting the confused look etched upon her features. "A girl friend," she added.

"That's true." Korra nodded. "I mean, I love hanging out with the guys, and I love the air kids, but there are things I can only talk to you about."

"I know we've only been friends for a few months, but I'm glad you gave this a chance."

Korra rested her left ear on the pillow, turning to face Asami. She smiled, her blue eyes flowing brightly in the dimly lit fort. "Me too," she said sincerely. The engineer smiled happily before burying her face into the pillow. As the music slowed to a stop, she sat up, brushing her hair out of her face. "May I pick the next song?"

"Go ahead, it's your day."

"It's not a Christmas song, but I listen to it every year." Asami said quietly. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and pressed a few buttons. As the music started to play she drained the rest of her hot chocolate, wincing as the cold liquid slid down her throat, before drying out the bottom with a napkin and placing her phone inside. "More Than Words" by Extreme amplified in the fort from the makeshift stereo.

Asami laid back down on the ground, singing softly along to the music. It was the first time Korra had listened to the song, but she found herself lightly singing to the words as well. Sure, she stumbled over the lyrics a few times, but used Asami as her guide. Their two voices swirled and matched, creating a raspy sound the filled each corner of the fort.

"This is a really nice song," Korra commented. "How did you find it?"

"It was played a lot in my house around this time of year," Asami muttered. Her eyes were downcast, a frown set upon her features. "My dad played it when he proposed to my mother, showing her that he would use his actions to prove he loved her and not just his words," she said in a monotone.

"That's so sweet. Is it your parent's song?" Korra asked. She frowned when she heard a soft sniffle from her right. She turned and noticed Asami's face buried in her pillow, her arms tightly wrapped around it. "Did I say something wrong?"

Asami shook her head, breaking into loud sobs. Korra tentatively reached out, rubbing the back of the engineer's crown with her hand. The Avatar bit her bottom lip, frowning at her lack of empathy. "What do you want me to do? I'm not good at this stuff," she admitted. "Do you need a hug?" she asked.

The engineer sniffed before pulling her head out of the pillow. "Yes, please," she whimpered. Korra scooted over; lying on her side, throwing her right arm across Asami's back, pulling her close. Asami continued to lie on her stomach but slightly turned her head so that the top was tucked a bit underneath the Avatar's chin. She deeply inhaled Korra's scent, relaxing underneath the light circles that were being rubbed on her back.

The two sat in silence, letting the soft music fill the fort around them. Asami's sobs gradually faded to sniffles. She snuggled a bit deeper into Korra's embrace. "I'm sorry; I didn't think the song would affect me that much. I think it all just hit me at once."

"There's no reason to apologize," Korra answered softly. Asami squirmed as her breath tickled her ear. Her body quickly went from warm to overheated. She felt her cheeks and the tips of her ears beginning to burn. Her pulse began to pick up a bit, roaring so loudly in her ears that she was sure the Avatar could hear it as well.

Asami frowned, pulling herself away from their embrace, turning to look at Korra's laptop that was emitting a loud ringing.

"Mako is calling," she announced. Korra sat up, stretched her arms above her head, before pressing the ACCEPT button.

"Hey guys," Mako greeted as soon as the video call connected. Bolin was sitting next to him with Pabu nestled in his lap. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry, Merry," Korra answered. Asami ducked away, wiping the tears off of her cheeks. She glanced at her hands to see if any of her makeup smudged before moving next to Korra in the camera's view.

"Why is it so dark?" Bolin asked. He leaned in close to the camera, glancing at the picture. Korra and Asami chuckled as his green eye filled the screen.

"We made a fort," Korra announced.

"Lucky!" he pouted. "Anyway, we're video calling like you asked Korra."

"What's he talking about?" Asami wondered. Korra gave her thumbs up before crawling out of the fort once more. The engineer watched with a raised eyebrow before turning her attention back to the computer screen. Mako grabbed Bolin by the collar, pulling him back.

'Well, our tradition for Christmas is to give a gift to each other. Kind of like Secret Santa, but after drawing the same names two years in a row, we just decided to stick with the same names," Mako explained. "I got Korra, she got Bolin, and Bolin got me."

"Since I'm normally in the South at this time of year, we usually open our gifts over video chat," Korra added as she made her way back into the fort. She was pushing a giant box in front of her. It was wrapped in shiny red paper and white ribbon.

"Oh that's nice," Asami said politely.

"But this year, things were different since you were added to the group," Bolin announced.

"We all agreed that you deserved to have the best Christmas so, we all got you something for Christmas." Korra grabbed the wrapped box and held it out towards the engineer. Asami gasped, taking the box from the Avatar's hands. She peered at the gift wrap, entranced by the twinkling lights reflected off of the shiny paper.

"Merry Christmas, Asami," the three recited.

"Oh, thanks you guys," Asami squeaked. Korra stuck her arm out in the engineer's face. Asami dabbed the corners of her eyes with the darker girl's sleeve as tears threatened to fall once more. She tearfully smiled over at the Avatar and nodded a thank you before unwrapping the gift.

She was instantly hit with a wave of the smell of cinnamon. She pulled the top of the box open and gasped when she looked at the contents inside. A small basket was filled with bath bombs, exfoliating soaps, scented candles, and monogram wash clothes. A nail kit was included, which also had a pumice stone and red nail polish that changed color in the sun. A red and black journal was nestled next to the basket, with a quill pen and a small bottle of ink. Finally, there is a small book filled with comics about science and engineering.

"Do you like it?" Bolin asked quietly.

"I love it," Asami whispered. She carefully pulled every item out of the box, carefully inspecting each one. Korra watched happily, her elbows resting on her knees, holding her face in her hands.

"We were originally going to get you some makeup but then we thought you probably have most of it," he said.

"We were also going to get you some engineering textbooks, but you probably have them all as it is," Mako added.

"You're right on both counts, but I love these." She ran her hands over the smooth cover of the journal before clutching it tightly to her chest. "I will use all of them, I promise." Asami got to her knees and threw her arms around Korra's neck, squeezing tightly. "Thank you, so much."

"You're welcome," Korra warmly answered. "It's too bad Kiyoko and Opal couldn't be here," she added once they pulled away. Asami went back to admiring her gifts. Bolin physically deflated when he heard his girlfriend's name. He turned to his right, gasping loudly and pointing.

"It's understandable that Opal's family went back to Zaofu early. Plus, Kiyoko's family evacuated the day President Raiko declared the city to be at war. It's a mad house out there. Lin is working tirelessly trying to find Amon with city's Metal Bending Police Force," Mako pointed out.

"Why would she work with them?" Korra asked.

Mako let out a deep sigh, closing his eyes and shaking his head. Bolin slapped him on the arm, continuing to point off screen. The firebender brushed him off. "Lin is the Chief of Republic City Police," he admitted.

"I knew it!" Korra snapped her fingers. "I knew she was out to get me. I mean, why would a campus cop worry so much about a few busted buildings?"

"She's going to need help," he added. "Amon needs to be stopped and fast."

"Guys, look outside," Bolin shouted.

Korra instantly moved to crawl out of the fort. Asami gently placed the gifts, that she put in her lap, down on to the floor before following her. The Avatar bent down, holding out of hand, and pulled the raven-haired girl to her feet before the two rushed over to the closest window. Korra flung the curtains open.

Numerous airships hovered over the city, filling the sky. A loud humming sound emitted over top the Christmas music that was playing in the apartment. Naga let out a loud whine at the noise, scurrying over to Korra's side, burying her face in her leg. "Oh no," Korra muttered. "Well, how are we going to stop that?"

"You fight fire with fire," Mako suggested. "If he has airships, then we need airships."

"Great, where are we going to get a fleet of airships?" Bolin asked. Mako tapped his chin in thought. Korra banged her fist against the window, before leaning forward and pressing her forehead against the cool glace.

Asami tapped her fingertips together, stepping away from the window. She tightly closed her eyes, before announcing quietly: "…I know where we can get some airships." Korra quickly turned towards, her blue eyes lit up with hope. "Iroh is a general in the United Forces. At this point, he owes me a favor."

"Are you sure?"

"No, but what other choice do we have?"


AN: Many, many thanks to my beta, Rubiks.

This chapter was originally going to have some action in it but I felt like you guys deserved some fluff. Plus, I know I made it that Lin has a lot of job titles but that will be explained in the next chapter.

Next chapter title: Equalizer