Korra feels her familiar scowl settle onto her face as she contemplates Tenzin. The airbending master glowers back at her, crossing his arms.
"You can't forbid me from going to him," She protests, jutting her chin out defiantly. "I'm the Avatar, and you're just gonna have to deal with it. Besides, I know for the fact that Tarrlok loves me."
Tenzin's children appear behind his wife Pema. Korra eyes his oldest, Jinora, who is, as usual, lost in a book about some romance. Her eyebrow shoot up as she realises she has a gambit.
"And you are really one to talk, Tenzin," She spits out from between clenched teeth. "Pema is twenty years younger than you, and you love her… and," She continues, pausing dramatically for effect, "I know with certainty that Jinora is dating my good friend Bolin."
Tenzin's face immediately turns into a most unbecoming shade of purple as Jinora glances up from her novel, shooting Korra a glare. This is another one of Korra's secrets, but she knows that it has to be let out of the bag for her own chance to remain with Tarrlok. Pema scowls at Tenzin as her sons Meelo and Rohan peer up from behind her back, looking curious. The two airbender boys are the studs of their high school, Meelo especially having shred his ungainly appearance of childhood. Puberty lent him height, facial hair, and grey eyes that made all the girls swoon. Rohan was following him quickly in studliness.
"Tenzin, this is wrong of you," She hears Pema's voice scolding. "You are such a cockblocker! If Korra loves the man, let her, regardless of your qualms with him."
Tenzin glowers at his wife and then darts his frown at Jinora, knowing he is beaten.
Jinora glances up from her book again,
"I love Bolin," She declares, simplicity and sincerity in her tone. "He's helped me with problems after class and we grew close because we both enjoy stories. I love him, Daddy."
Tenzin sighs, making his robes flutter in a breeze of his own making. He shrugs,
"Fine, have it your way," He says. He watches his family members leave the room, and then turns to face Korra. He waggles his index finger at her, which she blithely ignores. "And I still mean what I said, if he makes one wrong move with you, Avatar Korra, I will have Lin arrest him."
"Frak me," Korra retorts. "You can do anything you want, Tenzin, but nothing you can try to do will be able to separate me and Tarrlok." She pauses, lifting her eyebrows nonchalantly. "In fact, we have another tutoring session today, after my anthropology class with Mr. Noatak Yakoneson."
Tenzin huffs, unable to find any words to formulate a proper response, and then leaves, slamming the door behind him as Korra lets a triumphant smirk slide over her face.
…
Korra arrives to her college, Avatar Aang Memorial College, late as usual. The sun is casting rays of light over the buildings, basking them in soft pastel hues as she exits her snazzy blue convertible. She glances back at it, thinking privately to herself about how convenient it was that it could also play all her Battlester Galactica episodes on the little DVD player included inside. She is planning a surprise for Tarrlok tonight, hoping to drive him out somewhere secluded where they can snuggle up together and watch BSG and then frak each other as if their lives depend on it after watching Gauis Baltar and Number Six mack on each other's faces first.
She strolls into the school, where Bolin tips his hat to her whilst his older brother Mako glowers at her, his ever-present scowl sitting smoothly on his bishounen face, but he lights up immediately as Korra watches her best friend Asami Sato, heiress to Future Industries and friend to all, glide down the hallway to join him.
She smiles as she sees Asami touch noses with Mako in an Eskimo Kiss, making the gloomy cheerleader smile at his girlfriend before drawing her close for an affectionate hug.
"Hey Korra, tell Jinora that I'm meeting her tonight at Narook's, okay?" Bolin calls to her as she traipses her way down the long corridors of the college to her anthropology classroom. He lets his music blare from his Ipod, causing Korra to smile as she recognises the familiar and well-loved strains of one of her favourite songs - that she thinks goes along so well with Battlester Galactica - "Kings and Queens" erupt from his speakers.
"Sure I will!" She agrees. She winks at Bolin, "Also, you have good taste in music and girls, my friend. Good taste."
Bolin throws his arm over her shoulder companionably,
"I try, my lady, I try." He winks back at her. "And now, if I recall correctly, isn't someone late for her class?"
"Frak!" Korra exclaims. "It was good talking with you Bolin. See ya around!"
….
Korra strolls down the corridor as slowly as possible, knowing who will be waiting outside her anthropology classroom waiting for her. Just as she suspects, the tall figure of Mr Noatak greets her outside the classroom door.
"Late as usual, are we, Miss Avatar?" He purrs in that luscious voice of his as he picks up her hand, brushing his lips against it as Korra rewards him with a smirk.
"You know, just doing what I do best, Mr Noatak," She counters, jabbing him in the side with her finger. "Annoying the frak out of you, that is." She watches his eyes follow the bounce of her bosom so that he is staring at her cleavage, hanging daintily from her shirt. She immediately slaps him, "Show some decency, Noatak, frak you."
"That can be arranged," Noatak returns in his silky voice. His expression shifts into a scowl for her. "If you weren't already frakking my brother, that is."
"You can join in if you want," Korra dares. "Mr Equality." She jabs him in the side again. "Or are you too yellow-bellied to try?"
"I have my sense of honour, too," Noatak returns stiffly, before reaching down to pinch her on the bottom and slap her prettily, making Korra blush. It takes less than a second before her hand makes contact with his cheek again.
"Yeah, I can really see that, Mr Amon," Korra retorts, impulsively placing a light kiss on his cheek as he draws her into a tight embrace.
"Just be glad that all of my students are currently studying and are not aware of our chaste makeouts."
"Frak that," Korra returns, by now tired of the banter. She places her lips onto Noatak's, feeling her tongue dart into his mouth. His lips ensconce hers as they kiss each other long and hard until Korra begins to feel guilty. She pushes Noatak away, trying to absolve her guilty feelings by attempting to get him to join her and his brother's relationship.
"Noatak, stop!" She exclaims. "It wouldn't be fair to Tarrlok." She thumps her hands down onto her hips, staring Noatak in the eye. "The only way this would be fair is if you join us."
A devious light emerges into Noatak's eyes as he rubs his hands in anticipation,
"I would like that, Avatar," He purrs, taking her by the hand to escort her into the classroom. "Let me consider it."
"I'm meeting with him later in the library after class for another tutoring session and to tell him of my plans for tonight," Korra whispers to Noatak. "If you want to join us, come and listen by the door so that you can hear my arrangements." She stares at him, feeling a blush race down her spine and tingle into her toes. "To let me know you're there, appear in the library wearing a mask. I don't think Tarrlok knows your other persona, so you should be safe."
"As you wish," Amon, alias Noatak, replies to her. He lets go of her hand and then taps at his smartboard as Korra moves to her seat, glad about the fact that all of the other students are studying or variously incapacitated in postures of sleep. Korra thumps her desk, immediately arousing the sleepers.
"Equality is important!" She announces to the room at large. "Why don't you all just listen?"
"I second that statement!" A handsome man with a mustache who she often sees hanging around Noatak corroborates her.
…..
Even though her anthropology class is frighteningly engrossing, Korra's thoughts turn to her love for BSG and her crush in the show, Gaius frakking Baltar. Even though she normally does not like slash, for some reason the idea of putting Tarrlok together with his fictional counterpart - the sleazy, devilishly handsome scientist/professor/politician of the sci-fi show turns her on.
She glances up at Noatak, finds that he is engrossed in explaining the intricacies of various forms of oppression to the class, sees Lieu staring at him as if he's made of molten gold, and knows she is safe to go. She rips out a piece of unwritten paper and begins scribbling madly.
'Who the hell are you?' Gaius Baltar asked as he saw a tall man with three ponytails came up to him on Colonial One.
Tarrlok stared back at him blearily,
'I'm your new adviser,' He explained, admiring the man's wavy brown hair and dark brown eyes, idly thinking to himself how expressive they were.
'Oh, is that the case?" Baltar said in his slight accent, which made Tarrlok quirk one of his heavy eyebrows at him, feeling confused since he couldn't place it. Baltar patted Tarrlok on the shoulder, 'Good chap, good chap…. I must say you look a bit like me.'
'If you must know, I was thinking the same thing,' Tarrlok returned with a devilish smirk.
'We should go out together for drinks,' Baltar said, quite nonchalantly, as Tarrlok's jaw dropped in amazement. 'I don't draw distinctions between genders, after all.'
'Gaius, what are you doing?' The soft voice of a tall woman with white-blond hair and piercing eyes that looked violent in some lights made both men turn around sharply. 'You know God has set you apart me, and me alone.'
Gaius cleared his throat,
'Too true, my dear, too true,' He said. 'But I was only inviting Mr Tarrlok here out for a drink, nothing more.'
'Frak me,' Number Six retorted, striding over and grabbing him by his hair before planting a heavy French kiss on his lips whilst Tarrlok watched appreciatively. 'God is watching you, Gaius,' Number Six warned before she turned on her heel and strode off down the hallway.
'But, anyway, drinks?' Baltar asked again of Tarrlok. Tarrlok shrugged.
'If you insist, Mr Baltar.'
The two men went into one of the bars on Battlestar Galactica, where Tarrlok was immediately hit on by none other than Lt. Gaeta, but he quickly defused his advances by saying he had someone at home, the girl called Korra, the Avatar, and the love of his life. Gaeta shrugged and bought himself another drink, watching closely as Tarrlok and Baltar kept up a constant chatter and kept refilling their own glasses.
Tarrlok found himself becoming very drunk. His world began to spin before his eyes and in the next moment his lips were on Baltar's. They pulled away, surprised, and then crashed off their chairs onto the ground of the bar whilst everyone else laughed. Baltar looked up to see Number Six shooting him a fiery glare before turning around and gliding away. Baltar immediately sprung to his feet and hurried after her as Tarrlok sat on the floor, still wondering what had happened and nursing his hangover.
Korra shoots a glance at Noatak, who happens to be eyeing her suspiciously, so she hurriedly crumples her story into a manageable ball and shoves it into the pocket of her jeans.
"Class is over, and for one so enthused about equality and trying to end oppression, you didn't seem too highly involved in today's lesson," Noatak comments, his gaze darting towards Lieu. "Unlike Lieu, here. You are one of my prize students Korra, behave like one."
"Yes, Mr Noatak," Korra mutters, anxious to escape the room and find somewhere to hid her story so that the prying eyes of Tarrlok and Noatak would not be able to see it. She can just imagine Tarrlok's reaction…
Speaking of the devil, who should appear at the door of the classroom, the fringes of a smirk playing on his lips.
"Ready for your special lesson?" Tarrlok enquires of her as she races over to him, throwing her arms around his chest in a tight hug that nearly bowls him over. She can feel Noatak's gaze probing her but she ignores it.
"Yes," She replies, eagerness in her voice as she slips her hand in between his. "Let's go to the library, Tarrlok." And spend some time frakking and then I'll tell you my plans for tonight.
"All right then," Tarrlok says. "Let's go."
He begins to walk forward, Korra's feet moving to follow him, but as she does so, she glances back at Mr Amon and sends him a wink.
…..
Korra wraps her arm around Tarrlok's as they sit together at one of the tables in the quiet library. The library may be quiet, but the shouts and noises from the fields outside - where a football game is being played and Asami Sato is one of the quarterbacks and only female on the team - reaches into the room, but Korra and Tarrlok could care less.
Korra draws Tarrlok close to her, pressing her lips onto his forcefully as he unwillingly takes his eyes off of his law primer, accepting the kiss. She feels his arms encircle her as they break apart, gazing soulfully into his eyes.
She traces the outline of his muscled biceps, visible under his blue jacket, murmuring,
"I have a surprise planned for you tonight," She giggles, pinching him on the nose. "Loki."
Tarrlok rewards her with a disgruntled frown upon hearing the nickname. He doesn't like it much even though The Avengers and Thor are two of their favorite movies to watch together, that is, when they're not watching Battlestar Galactica over and over again. Both of them always cry tears of joy at the ending.
"What is it?" He asks, returning to glancing over his law primer and making a few notes in the margins.
Korra looks over his shoulder, her heart clenching as she notices a masked figure - Amon - glide into the room silently. She watches the masked man casually walk over to one of the bookshelves to peer at some tomes on equality and oppression.
"I was just thinking we could drive down by the lake, watch some more of BSG together, and then spend the rest of the night frakking in the car," Korra announces, making her words as loud as possible. Across the room she sees Amon tilt his head slightly, subtly giving his assent that he hears her message.
Tarrlok turns to face her, a genuine smile spreading across his face and brightening his eyes. He wraps his arm around her shoulders companionably, placing another kiss on her cheek as she shivers with pleasure at his touch,
"I would like that, yes," He agrees, his fingers entangling themselves in her hair. "So, tonight, then?"
Korra grins at him as she presses another kiss onto his lips, tugging playfully on one of his ponytails.
"Yes, tonight," She confirms. "I can't wait."
…..
Korra enjoys the feel of the wind in her hair as she and Tarrlok drive to the lake. Her college is located in the region of the Water Tribes and has many pretty lakes and forested areas surrounding it.
She pulls the car to a stop and tilts her sunglasses up onto her forehead, grinning at Tarrlok. She feels the clump of paper that is her fanfiction from earlier this morning in class poke into her side but she ignores it.
"It certainly is beautiful here," Tarrlok comments, placing his hand on top of her shoulders. "You know, I would almost just enjoy sitting here admiring the view instead of frakking."
"Oh, now you're sounding like Gaius Baltar!" Korra croons without realising it. She throws herself on top of him, unaware that her ball of paper ensconced in her pocket is tumbling out of her pocket and into her lover's lap.
Tarrlok notices something land in his lap and with arm still around Korra; he picks it up, immediately recognising Korra's scrawled handwriting.
"What's this, Korra?" He asks. Korra shifts her eyes around nervously, unwilling to admit that it's fanfiction and that it's about him, and then she happens to catch sight of a figure looming out of the trees in the fading sunlight… a figure wearing a mask and staring intensely at her.
END OF PART TWO