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 29: A Guiding Spirit
Asami pace around the living room of her apartment. She pulled out her phone and re-read her last message from Opal. She sighed in frustration and quicken her pace as she shoved the device into her pocket. Kiyoko was seated on the couch.
"Asami, you're really on edge," Kiyoko commented quietly. Leaning forward, she pushed at the side of a coaster, moving it across the table top in her direction. A steaming cup of tea perched on top. "This will help."
"Of course I'm on edge," Asami muttered. She paused mid-step, reaching up to rub her temples. "Korra is still missing, my company is slowly being run into the ground, someone betrayed me, I can't bring myself to tell one of my friends that their girlfriend isn't coming back, and I just got scared for the umpteenth time by a baby spirit." She sighed hard before curling up in an arm chair near the table. "It would actually be cute if it weren't so evil." She picked up her cup of tea, blowing gently on it twice, before taking a drink.
"That's also surprising, because there isn't a spirit portal here," Kiyoko pointed out. She looked out the window of the apartment at the vast skyline of Republic City. The sun was beginning to set and cast an orange glow among the buildings. "I don't even think there is any spiritual energy in Republic City."
"Yeah, that confused me as well," Asami answered. She looked down at her reflection in her tea. She tapped her fingers against the cup, her mind racing as fast as the ripples on the liquid's surface moved toward the edges of the cup. The two sat in silence, the only sound coming from a clock in the room.
"Maybe it means Korra's back?" Kiyoko said quietly. Asami quickly lifted her head at her friend's name. She glanced over at Kiyoko, her green eyes narrowing slightly, in thought. She motioned with a jerk of her head, for Kiyoko to continue. "Well, didn't you say that when you were in the South the dark spirits were after her? And she did open the portal…" she trailed off with a shrug.
"She would have told us if she were back." Asami answered, more for herself than for debunking Kiyoko's thought. She propped her elbow up on the arm of the chair, leaning the side of her head onto her closed fist. Her eyes were fixed on the wall across the room from her. "We'd be able to help her, we're-"
"Team Avatar," Kiyoko interrupted. "I know." While there wasn't a harsh tone laced in with her words, Asami instantly picked up on the undertones of annoyance. She cringed on the inside, reminding herself to give a proper apology later.
For the past few days, all Asami would talk about was her company or Team Avatar used to be. With Bolin working on his movers, and Mako swamped with police work, Kiyoko was the only person available who would listen. While Asami was grateful that her friend would be of assistance when it came to venting, she didn't realize until now how much of a broken record she sounded. Plus, it probably didn't help that she reflected on the "good times" when Kiyoko was still fairly new to the group.
"What if she's just trying to keep you out of harm's way?" Kiyoko asked, raising a shoulder.
"That would be something Korra would do, if it ever came down to it," Asami admitted. "She always puts others before herself." Her voice got quieter with each passing word. After emitting a loud sigh, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Kiyoko instantly got up from her seat on the couch, and grabbed a hold of Asami's wrist, stopping her from pressing the power button with her thumb.
Asami looked up at her in confusion. "You're obsessed with your phone," Kiyoko said, gently pulling the electronic device out of Asami's hand and placing it onto the table. "I know you're worried about Korra, but you need to take some time for yourself. It's what she would have wanted." Asami smiled softly in response. "Besides, you know she would be mad that you're too busy worrying about her than getting things done. So, how about we talk about something else?"
"That'd be great, thanks." Asami finished the rest of her tea before setting the cup back onto the coaster on the table in front of her. She and Kiyoko turned when they heard a buzzing sound from across the room. Asami's work phone was plugged into the wall being charged. The phone had lit up, indicating a new message or a missed call.
"…So what are you going to do about Xu?" Kiyoko asked.
"Nothing." Asami snuggled into the corner of the chair. Her stocking covered feet were wedged into the side of the armrest, as a way to keep herself locked in. The chair was a decent size to sit in, but not one to really curl up in and relax.
"But, Asami-"
I know she didn't do anything. I trust Xu…please….don't let her be a part of this…
"I don't have any proof that she is the one who's behind everything," she interrupted. Crossing her arms over her chest, she raised a shoulder. "It wouldn't be good to start pointing fingers. How will people view me as a leader?"
"…They don't….really view you that…positively, right now anyway," Kiyoko said, taking up sudden interest in a few knick-knacks along the wall.
"Kiyoko!"
"It is true," she said defensively. She grunted softly as a pillow was thrown into the side of her face. Kiyoko tried to look angry and intimidating but couldn't help but smile as Asami howled with laughter. It was the first time since hearing about Korra's disappearance that she had seen Asami enjoying herself. While she did get good reports from Bolin about Asami during their trips to the karaoke bar, she worried about her friend's wellbeing with how much she has been working and preparing for the spring semester of her final year at RITA.
"I kind of miss it when you were quiet," Asami joked.
"Ha, ha," Kiyoko stuck out her tongue. She tossed the pillow to the other end of the couch. "So, what happens now?"
"Right now, I just need to focus. You're right, and Korra's right. I do need to worry about myself," Asami said, shifting in the chair to find a more comfortable position. "Partnering with Varrick has been helpful, and the police are on the case about the bombing at the Cultural Center as well as the theft from my warehouse." She stifled a loud yawn by covering her hand over her mouth. It was then Kiyoko realized how tired Asami really looked. While Asami is amazing with a makeup brush, she was still able to detect the dark circles underneath her eyes. "Applications for new interns should be coming in soon, so I can work on that around school and my Senior Project."
"How will you be able to work on that if Kuvira has gone back to Zaofu with Opal and the rest of the Beifongs?" Kiyoko wondered.
"I'll figure something out." A swift knock came at the front door. "I'll get it," Asami said, motioning for Kiyoko to sit back down. She walked over towards the front door, pulling out her cell phone and glancing at the screen. The urge to throw the electronic device welled up inside her upon noticing she didn't receive a new text. While she wanted to look at the text thread she and Korra had, there was no point. Her last few message will remain unanswered until her friend is found.
Sighing hard, she re-pocketed her phone before unlocking the door, and regarding her visitor. She smiled brightly upon seeing Bolin, but it faded as soon as she noticed the glum look on his face. She stepped to the side, allowing him to pass. He slowly trudged into the room, his shoulders hunched over. Pabu chirped happily before jumping off his owner's shoulders and climbing up onto Asami's before nuzzling her cheek.
"Hey," he called out slowly when he noticed Kiyoko sitting on the couch. She quickly hopped up and went into the kitchen, pouring him a cup of tea. Bolin collapsed onto the couch, before crossing his arms over his chest, a gravity pulling his lower lip into a pout.
"Why do you look so upset, Bolin?" Asami took a seat next to him on the couch. Pabu jumped down from her shoulder and took up residence in her lap. She lightly scratched behind his ears. He chirped happily before relaxing, his eyes fluttering closed.
"Mako and I got into a fight," he announced with a heavy sigh. Kiyoko came back into the room and placed his cup of tea on an empty coaster. Bolin harshly grabbed the tea cup, and lifted it to his lips, before pointing his pinky finger into the air and taking a delicate sip.
"Isn't that what brother's do?" Kiyoko asked. She looked over at Asami and shrugged. "I wouldn't really know, since I'm an only child." Asami nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, but this one felt different." Bolin took another sip of his drink. He titled the cup in Pabu's direction. The fire ferret stuck his nose into the air, sniffing like mad. He popped his eyes open before crawling over and sticking his tongue into the warm liquid. Kiyoko made a sound of disgust as Asami chuckled. "It feels like…things are about to change," he said darkly.
Kiyoko and Asami exchanged another look, this time filled with worry. Asami cleared her throat before offering up a smile. "Maybe that's because you're about to be a giant mover star?" she suggested. Bolin looked over at her, his pout slowly forming into a smile.
"You're still coming to the premier, right?" he asked.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Asami nodded. "Sure, I'll have to go to Spring Semester orientation really early in the morning the next day, but how many people will be able to say they've gone to a mover premier?"
"How many people can say they're friends with a mover star?" Kiyoko pointed out. "You'll be the first one. And we can say that we knew you when you were just Bolin". As Asami and Bolin began to talk about the events of the night, Kiyoko's phone began to ring. She quickly pulled it out of her pocket, before wilting in disappointment as she read the screen. Soon, confusion flittered onto her face as she took full notice of the phone number.
"Hello?" Kiyoko said, as she answered the phone. Asami and Bolin flinched as she quickly got to her feet. "Are you okay?" She waved Bolin away as he leaned over to tug at the bottom of her shirt, trying to catch her attention. "What?" she gasped.
"What?!" Asami and Bolin hissed.
"Okay, we're on our way," Kiyoko said before hanging up the phone. She continued to stare at the lit up screen as her hands began to shake. Asami climbed to her feet, apologizing quietly to Pabu as he tumbled to the floor, before taking Kiyoko by the shoulders and turning her so that they were face to face.
"What's wrong, Kiyoko?" she demanded.
"Mako's been arrested…for bombing the Cultural Center."
AN: Many thanks to Rubiks, for being my beta!
Guess what's back? Yeah, I finally have more time to get back to this story. This chapter was a bit of a filler, but things will be moving forward in the next few installments. If any of you were confused with some parts in this chapter, things will be answered in the next one.
