Note:
Chapter includes sexual content. Sexual situations will be indicated with a break (-).
After two weeks of intense negotiations with Northeastern province self-appointed warlord Lt Col Thran, a breakthrough was finally reached: the former Earth Empire officer acquiesced to the terms offered by the Earth Kingdom committee spearheaded by Kuvira and Bataar Jr. which called for free elections to be held during the next six months and for Thran to launch her candidacy for governor. The former leaders of the Earth Empire spent their days journeying every corner of the region with their former subordinate and after a good deal of haggling and many an evening spent reminiscing war stories, an agreement that was satisfactory for all parties involved was achieved. Thran and her troops would not stand trial for insubordination and rebellion and in return, she would relinquish power back effective immediately to Earth Kingdom authorities. Kuvira and Bataar agreed to return as observers to monitor the elections in order to prevent that certain elements threatened to win their way into the gubernatorial seat through unsavory means.
As they made their way back to Zaofu, the former couple could not hide their sheer elation, elation that was shared by Wu and his cabinet as well as President Zhu Li Moon and Avatar Korra when Counselor Asakawa conveyed the news. Their first joint outing as negotiators rather than conquerors had resulted in a resounding success and both ex-officers were eager to share the news with their loved ones and enjoy their first major victory. A smooth airship landing and an impromptu press conference later, the negotiation team was received by the Metal Clan Matriarch Suyin Beifong on her private studio for an in depth debriefing with Avatar Korra who had to stay behind along with industrialist Asami Sato at Thran's request. The former Empire officer remained skeptic of what she deemed as outside interference from the United Republic so the delegation was limited to Asakawa, Bataar, Kuvira, Chief Beifong and Captain Hong Li. It was a risk since their small group could have been easily overpowered by Thran's well trained forces if she had wished so but Bataar's and Kuvira's assessment of their fellow comrade was accurate and instead, they were received and treated with respect.
"Madam Beifong, it is our pleasure to officially inform you that we've welcome the Northeastern province back to Earth Kingdom jurisdiction" announced a very pleased Asakawa. King Wu wishes to convey his gratitude to you and your collaboration with this enterprise. Traveling under the auspices of Zaofu rather than the Earth Kingdom's proved to be advantageous for the mission and we hope we can count on your sustained support for future outings."
"If the terms of our collaboration remain unchanged, you can count on my resolute support" affirmed Suyin. Bataar and his mother exchanged a look. Suyin had negotiated an unconditional pardon for him should he deliver the results the government expected and so far he was complying with his end of the deal.
"It is without saying that we will uphold our commitment as agreed" replied Asakawa miffed, taking umbrage of the matriarch's doubts on the accords. "The same goes for Bataar as for Kuvira" the diplomat added. The side glance that Suyin proffered to Kuvira expressed rather evidently her displeasure with this last particular notion.
"Very well. After this accomplishment, I believe a celebration is in order. Nothing extravagant, just a banquet for our present guests" the youngest Beifong sister stated with a more amiable tone.
"I hope you don't forget to reserve Kuvira a place in the table Su. This is much her doing as Bataar's" reminded Lin noting how her sister's countenance changed when her former protégé was mentioned.
Suyin's eyes stared daggers at her elder sister. Since when Republic City's unyielding paladin of law and order had begun to side with dictators she wondered to herself baffled at her sister's seemingly incomprehensible change of heart.
"Of course Lin. How could I ever forget that?" the cutting edge of her voice discredited the courtesy of her words.
The Chief of Police merely nodded. If Su's thinly veiled hostility towards all things Kuvira perturbed her, her unflappable visage did a superb job concealing it.
"Well then, it is settled" Su affirmed recovering her more pleasant demeanor. Kuvira exchanged glances with Lin and offered a grateful smile which the elder metalbender returned in the form of a smug grin. Apparently, the Chief was thoroughly enjoying unsettling her younger sister for a change. Kuvira smiled inwardly at this latest installment of sibling rivalry between the Beifong sisters.
"I hope I can find something suitable to wear for tonight" the metalbender thought to herself as she departed the studio when the meeting was adjourned. Throughout the returning journey to Zaofu, the only thing on the former captain's mind was how she would thank Korra for her sage advice and steadfast support. Her advice had served her well in her negotiations with Thran and now Kuvira wanted nothing but to convey her deep appreciation to the Avatar in a special way. A nice dinner and stylish clothes definitely aided her in her intended purpose and for once, she felt indebted to Su for her inclination for grandiloquent gestures and fondness for celebrations. When she reached her room, her lips curved pleasantly at the corners when she noticed the elegant Zaofu ensemble that had already been laid over the bed. It seemed Suyin hadn't wasted any time and the announcement had merely been a formality.
"Guess I owe Su a big one" chuckled Kuvira as she began planning for her own private celebration with Korra.
-oOo-
Hours later, Kuvira found herself reliving various stages of her past during the evening's entertainment activities. An art exhibition courtesy of Huan was followed by a performance by Su's dance troupe and for a change, Kuvira was on the side of the audience rather than on the performers'. A soft smile adorned her features as her memory took her back to the more unencumbered years of her life when war and family drama were still years ahead and the familiar sights and sounds evoked sensations long deemed forgotten. She had missed this, she admitted wistfully. From the day she departed Zaofu and refused to look back until three weeks ago when she stepped out of the airship towards a new challenge in her life, the former Zaofu captain missed the familiarity and warmth of the city she called home during her formative years. As always, Su excelled as a hostess and every little detail was perfect from the decor to the performance to the exquisite food. She might have her differences with her former teacher but she could never deny her genuine disposition in showing her guests a pleasant time. The metalbender thanked her lucky stars that not only the Metal Clan matriarch relented under Lin's scrutiny in allowing her to join the banquet with the other guests, but that Su had busied herself so much with her hostess duties she had virtually forgotten about her, allowing both to enjoy a pleasant evening free of any animosity or tensions.
As Kuvira engaged in trivial chat with Counselor Asakawa and his aides, she spotted Korra at the other side of the large banquet table discretely glancing at her direction. For once, the metalbender's choice of composed countenance had almost broken down and betrayed her inner thoughts. When she arrived with the other guests, upon sighting the Avatar clad in native Zaofu fashion instead of her usual water tribe blues, Kuvira couldn't help but ogle at her direction. The flowing fabrics in different hues of green complimented her tanned complexion and made the azure of her eyes look even more striking than usual. She realized her gaze must have been insistent when Korra caught sight of her and displayed a crooked grin in return, scanning her from the top down approvingly while mouthing something unintelligible, which made the metalbender's breath catch on her throat. Since her return from the Northeastern province, they had barely exchanged words but she could perceive that the Avatar was as eager to meet again as she was. Kuvira peered at the elegant pendulum clock at the far side of the hall and flashed a private smile. It was time. She bid goodnight to Counselor Asakawa as he was wolfing his second serving of dessert and resolutely walked towards Chief Beifong, stopping for a brief moment to exchange a few words before leaving the banquet hall behind.
Moments later, the former Zaofu captain was admiring the graceful architecture of the Beifong estate greenhouse. A soft greenish glow made the glass encased structure gleam from the inside, providing a peculiar contrast to the deep blue black of the starry night. Kuvira was pacing inside the structure observing Su's latest collection of exotic tropical plants when suddenly, her vision went black as a familiar warmth covered her closed lids.
"Guess who?" a playful female voice enquired.
"Hmm, I have no idea" the former commander replied, the corners of her mouth lifting in a smile.
"Should I give you a clue?" the voice asked with a spark of laughter seeping through her words.
"If you want to" Kuvira replied barely suppressing her own giggle.
"I'm going to move but no peeking!"
Kuvira chuckled as she sensed how the "stranger" moved to face her without lifting her hands from over her eyes.
"Okay, here's your clue." And upon saying this, soft lips came to join Kuvira's in a slow kiss as hands shifted from over her face to her waist.
"Good evening Korra" Kuvira whispered against her mouth when they finally separated. "I see you got my message from Lin."
Korra chuckled. "I did and I must say, I like your choice of meeting place. I don't think I've been here before. How was your trip?"
Kuvira let out a relieved exhale. "For a moment I thought we would never return. Thran is still a skillful negotiator and she wouldn't be satisfied until we offered clear guarantees that the election would be a transparent and fair event. Your advice came in handy and I'll admit that she has done a better job than we expected administering and keeping the peace. We visited a ton of locations and people seemed eager to talk to us. We didn't notice signs of intimidation and her people did a good job maintaining the infrastructure we implemented during our tenure. It was a satisfying experience but I'll admit that once negotiations were done, I was anxious to come back."
"You, tired of traveling?" Korra raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"It's not that, that part I enjoy. It was being apart from you unable to even call that was hard. I missed you."
Korra smiled tenderly. "I missed you too and yup, it sucked not being able to talk to you. This keeping appearances thing can get tiring. At least I knew you were well from what Bataar told Asami."
"Bataar had total monopoly of any radio and phones he could get his hands on" complained Kuvira in jest.
The Avatar let out a snort. "Suyin was disappointed that the majority of calls from Bataar were for Asami. Ah, and she was so intrigued by the unexpected couple that she sat down 'Sami for a long conversation. She told me that Su gave them her blessing and officially welcomed her to the clan."
"So that means Suyin is officially her mother in law. Wish Asami the best of lucks, she's going to need it!"
They both laughed at Kuvira's remark. When the laughter died down, Korra became aware of Kuvira's penetrating glance focused solely on her.
"Enjoying the view?" Korra remarked with a lopsided grin.
"As a matter of fact, yes, very much." Her emerald gaze was conveying quite evidently her admiration. Fingertips slid up Korra's defined arms until they anchored over her strong shoulders.
"It's very comfortable, I'll give you that. You don't look so bad either."
"Is that so?" the metalbender replied pretending to be dismayed.
Korra nodded, the playful grin morphing into a gentle smile. Zaofu's green and silver tunic seemed to soften Kuvira's sharp features while accentuating the piercing green orbs.
"I take that back. You look stunning tonight" the Avatar whispered under her breath as she pulled her closer. Kuvira placed her hands over Korra's cheeks bringing her face so close their foreheads touched.
"Korra…"
"Hmm?"
"You haven't showed me your suite yet." Her voice dropped an octave, acquiring a very distinctive sensual lilt.
Korra's mouth felt suddenly dry as the anticipation that had built since Kuvira stepped out of the airship was now making her feel lightheaded and giddy. Not a second later, she clasped the metalbender's hand, placing a room key on her palm. "That can be fixed immediately. You make yourself comfortable while I bid goodnight to Su and the guests to avoid arising any suspicions." Kuvira nodded in approval. Sapphire eyes locked firmly with emerald ones as a hand caressed the dark waves falling down Kuvira's back. "After that, I'm all yours."
Kuvira felt a sudden jolt of electricity course through her body. As in queue, their lips touched, a soft caress that quickly gave way to a deeper, hungrier one that left Kuvira starving for air. For an instant, she could have sworn it had been so intense the glass panes of the greenhouse fogged which made Korra chortle while peering around with the corner of the eye. With the Avatar you could never be sure what unexpected things could be unlocked.
Moments later, as they made their way towards the palatial estate, they noticed another couple engulfed in an embrace oblivious of the world around them. Korra and Kuvira exchanged quick complicit glances simultaneously as they hurried their pace before the engineering duo realized they had almost intruded their space. Evidently, they weren't the only ones who'd fled the banquet in search of some alone time away from prying eyes.
"I'll see you in a few" Korra affirmed with a bright smile, as she led her stride towards the lively sounds and chatter of the banquet that echoed through the corridor.
"I'll be waiting for you" Kuvira vowed vehemently. Soon she was stealthily navigating the maze of elegant hallways towards Korra's suite.
-oOo-
"Spirits, I thought Su would never stop talking!" Korra exclaimed as she airbended the door behind her. "She got into a long speech just when I was about to disappear." The Avatar uttered a frustrated noise as she scanned her vast suite in search of her guest. Her search was cut short when Kuvira emerged from her blind side and swiftly surrounded her waist from behind.
"Can't say I'm sorry I wasn't there" the metalbender chuckled while planting a peck on her cheek. Korra inhaled deeply, immediately relaxing against Kuvira's frame.
"Sorry it took me so long. I was afraid you were already in bed."
"I wouldn't go to bed without you" Kuvira whispered to her ear. A playful nip to her earlobe was added for emphasis.
Korra spun on her heels to face her, her lips curving at the corners. "I'm relieved to hear that. So what do you think?"
"This place is huge!" The metalbender exclaimed as she pointed towards the ornate windows and the balcony outside. "The view of the waterfall from here is simply breathtaking."
"Su keeps upgrading my rooms but this place is just too big for myself. I'm glad I get to share it with you for a little while."
"A girl can get used to this you know but it wouldn't be a good idea. Her suite is not too far from here."
"I know" Korra remarked with a pout. The idea of relocating Kuvira with her had crossed her mind more than once but due to the location, the risks outweighed the benefits. And there was also the added vigilance Kuvira had with her that could not be shaken off for too long.
"Korra…" A hand was gracefully brushing her right temple.
"Uhum?" The Avatar caught the hand and began tracing contours over the palm with her thumb.
Break
Kuvira hummed as she caught Korra's lips with her own, her free hand sinking into her chocolate hued hair. The Avatar let go of her other hand as her arms surrounded the former captain's back, pulling her closer. Kuvira asserted control, teasing Korra by landing gentle kisses on her cheeks, jaw and nose before capturing her lower lip with her teeth. Korra made a gesture to say something but her words were impeded by the metalbender's questing tongue sneaking inside her mouth, ushering a moan in response as well as her own tongue seeking refuge inside Kuvira's mouth until her lungs demanded air. Another moan escaped Korra's throat when Kuvira began exploring her neck, soft lips and sharp teeth nipping from her ear down her clavicle. The anticipation that had been steadily building during the day had morphed into agonizing need.
"You'd better take these clothes off me right now" Korra demanded breathily.
"Anxious are we" teased Kuvira as she captured her mouth again in a bruising kiss.
Korra simply replied by clasping one of Kuvira's hands firmly, leading her towards the splendid bedroom. She was about to start undressing in haste when the former commander halted her.
"I'll take care of that" she affirmed, her gaze intense over the Avatar. Korra simply nodded as she observed with heavy laden eyelids how Kuvira bended the metal away from the tunic and began languorously to shed the garments leaving wet kisses where warm skin was exposed. Korra inhaled sharply when the metalbender's hands brushed the curve of her breasts and again when she removed her pants and bottom part of her underwear, slowing to trace her muscled thighs. Several heartbeats later, Korra's tunic laid scattered over the floor and an impatient Avatar busied herself by returning the gesture to her lover albeit with less finesse.
"Su's going to kill me if you damage that" the metalbender smirked as Korra struggled to remove a metal adornment.
Korra muttered a curse under her breath as sole response. Once the adornments were dealt with, the rest of the outfit came off quickly, leaving Kuvira in the same state of undress as herself and with a low growl, Korra brought their mouths together, guiding her lover backwards until they fell together over the large bed with Korra on top. When they broke for air, Kuvira noticed a wicked grin curving on Korra's lips. She arched an eyebrow questioningly.
"My place is so big that I don't have to worry about keeping the volume down" the Avatar replied mischievously, bright blue eyes turning dark and inviting.
"And why is that?" inquired Kuvira tracing the Avatar's strong legs with her feet.
Korra dove for a searing kiss as she placed her hands under the metalbender's knees until her legs surrounded her waist. Her mouth trailed to her neck, her breath hot against her ear.
"Because I will make you scream my name."
Kuvira's eyes widened but before Korra could turn her promise into a reality, the metalbender maneuvered, flipping Korra and now it was Kuvira who was on top straddling the Avatar's waist.
"Not before I make you scream mine first."
Korra let out a chuckle that became a throaty moan when Kuvira positioned her thigh between hers, her weight settled just over the sensitive area that craved attention, triggering a hot wave that made her feel dizzy. Korra closed her eyes tightly as she began grinding vigorously against Kuvira, her hands anchoring on her firm butt, raged breaths escaping from her parted lips. The metalbender shifted ever so slightly until Korra's thigh was aligned with her own sensitive spot and before long, she was riding the pleasure wave along with the Avatar, pacing her rhythm to the one dictated by her. An errant hand cupped one of Korra's breasts, kneading the sensitive peak until it hardened between her thumb and forefinger. The Avatar let out a groan and sank her teeth over the metalbender's left shoulder until it left a bruise. Kuvira winced and let out a hiss over her ear as she sought the base of her neck where the pulse throbbed the strongest, kissing and sucking until she left a mark. She noticed her lover's movements were becoming more forceful and erratic. Korra's breathing was now coming out in shallow pants, the sought release now close, so close…
"Say it" goaded huskily Kuvira against Korra's transfixed face. "Say my name."
"I'm coming…spirits I'm coming…'Veera…"
Korra's back tensed as she raked her nails down Kuvira's back and with one last powerful gyration, her release washed over her until her heartbeat steadied its cadence. When Korra opened up her eyes and peered up, she realized that Kuvira was still amidst the throes of pleasure. Pushing back the damp dark strands that fell over forehead, Korra captured her mouth in a deep kiss as she embraced her tightly and began leaning to her side until their positions were reversed. Now it was Kuvira who was whimpering and twisting and pushing against Korra, her hands splayed over the Avatar's firm shoulders desperately grasping for purchase as Korra matched her tempo to drive her home to the sought release.
"Korra…!" Kuvira gasped loudly, her body shuddering in ecstasy underneath the Avatar, the tension uncoiling until the last of the tremors subsided for the time being, as the fires of desire were about to be stoked and quelled again and again until fatigue would finally overcome lust.
Break ends
Hours later, the lovers laid on their sides facing each other. Korra draped a leg possessively over Kuvira. The metalbender rested an arm over it, tapping absentmindedly her fingers over its firm surface.
"I won" the former commander affirmed triumphantly, a lazy grin curving on her lips.
"This time" clarified the Avatar with a chuckle. "But in the end, its' a win-win for both as long as we keep playing."
"You make an excellent point Avatar Korra" Kuvira replied before yawning.
"Kuvira"
"Humm?"
"Please don't go just yet."
Kuvira snuggled against Korra's warm body. "I think we should be okay if I leave before sunrise."
Korra placed a kiss on her forehead. "I can live with that. Now rest while I take first watch."
The metalbender felt herself lulled to slumber with the sound of Korra's steady heartbeat and the comforting warmth of her body.
"Good night, I love you" Kuvira said as she let sleep take over her.
"I love you too" whispered Korra, readying to watch over Kuvira's dreams while she waited for the sunrise to arrive.
But neither Korra nor Kuvira couldn't anticipate that there was going to be another early bird that morning. Someone who could make their happiness short lived and threaten their secret.