anonymous request from tumblr.

Three years was a long time. The shining lights of Republic City almost blinded her to the point that she was forced to bring up her hand to shield her eyes. It was just as beautiful as the first time she had set her eyes on it after sneaking out of the South Pole. The city was drawing her in, just like it had all those years ago. The city pulsed underneath her feet, like any other living and breathing organism. It was calling out to her and Korra had never been one to leave calls unanswered.

She was back in Republic City for the time being, at least until she was needed somewhere else.

Though she had gotten back into town last week, there was a difference between staring at the city from across Yue Bay and seeing it up close. It had always been a wondrous sight to her, filled with so much hope and possibility.

Photographers and journalists called her name, and she raised a gloved hand and smiled. Her was far more experienced with the media now than she had ever been. They wanted a good picture with an interesting headline, but Korra had resigned to only giving them the former. The gala was in her honor, the least she could do was give them a pretty picture.

Asami leaned onto her arm, "You're getting good at this." The Avatar smiled at her friend, before scrunching her nose. The heiress laughed. "Maybe I spoke too soon."

"Don't worry I already ruined things when I brought you as my date," she leaned in to whisper in the taller girl's ear. "How salacious, two young single girls attending a gala together."

Asami covered her mouth to giggle. "Very improper of us, but you could've gotten a date easily. You're the Avatar. You could go into any place and get your pick of the litter."

Korra scoffed. "I think you've mistaken me with you."

"Don't kid. I know the real reason why you didn't get a date. Are you still hoping to get a dance with a certain metalbending officer?"

Blood flooded her cheeks and Korra turned away. "Will you shut up about that? I just said he was a good dancer." Korra grabbed a flute of champagne from a waiter, attempting to look like a lady while she downed the entire thing in one go.

"Have you seen him yet?"

The Avatar shakes her head, scowling at the train of her dress, which gathered into a loop, which she placed onto her wrist. It was getting in the way of her drinking. "Haven't had the chance. He's so busy all the time now."

"He takes his job very seriously, Korra."

"He takes everything very seriously now. It's like he's not even the same person anymore."

Asami nodded, touching her friend's shoulder gently. "If there's anyone who could bring out the fun, spontaneous old Bolin it would be you Korra. You were his partner in crime. I mean who else is he going to have a burping contest with?"

Korra grabbed another glass, tipping it toward her date. "You've got a point there, Asami. I am the best belcher in Republic City."

The heiress rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her champagne. "There are a lot of important people here." Asami pointed out a few prospective business partners, who were all worth their weight in yuans.

The band began playing a faster song, the brass section finally waking up. Her hand immediately fell to Asami's. "This is my cue. Let's go."

The businesswoman laughed, allowing herself to be dragged onto the dance floor. The girls were only able to dance for one song before two handsome gentleman cut in.

Her new dancing partner was the son of one of Asami's business partners, a non-bender whose family came from the Fire Nation. She'd met him briefly during her time there. He was nice enough, far too much of a pretty boy for her, but he knew how to dance, leading her through the new dance craze sweeping through Republic City. After several fast-paced dances, the band slowed down and Korra walked off of the dance floor, sending a wink Asami's way, whose head was on the shoulder of her dancing partner.

Korra grabbed a portion of shrimp off of one of the trays the waiters were circulating and this time a glass of white wine and moved toward the balcony. No one would miss her while she had a few quality minutes between her and the city. The moon was full and high in the sky, illuminating the darkness. The wind whipped across her bare skin. Formal dresses were hardly meant for the outdoors. The dress Asami had chosen for her was strapless, constantly needing Korra's attention when it dipped too low in the front, exposing the tops of her breasts and more cleavage than necessary, especially if photographed. But to Asami's credit, the dress was beautiful and it was in her favorite shade of navy.

"You should be inside."

She turned toward the familiar voice, catching his brilliant green eyes. "But I'd much rather be out here, just me and Yue."

He crossed his arms over his broad chest. Korra was in constant amazement at the range of motion in the metalbending officers' uniforms despite what they consisted of. "You're better protected inside, Korra."

Korra scoffed. "I'm fine where I am. If you're going to be your new boring self than you can just go back inside." She turned her back to him, catching the sound of his deep sigh.

"You almost died. Do you understand that?"

Blue eyes narrowed to slits and she was forced to turn back toward him. "I spent months with healers, Bolin. I was shot in the shoulder. I didn't get amnesia, okay? You don't have to lecture me."

"I think I do. Get inside where you're better protected."

"I'm the Avatar. I do the protecting."

"You're being ridiculous. You can't fight against a gun, Korra."

"But you can right? Mr. big-shot metalbending officer."

He stepped toward her, "Yes I can. Short of a platinum bullet barreling toward you, I could protect you from any bullet sent your way."

"I don't need you protecting me, Bolin. I don't need a body guard."

His hands flashed onto her arms. "Yes I do. Don't you understand anything, Korra? This has all been for you. I've become one of the best metalbenders on Earth and it's all been so you're never in that situation again. So I never feel like that again. Do you know what it's like to see someone you love covered in blood like that and know that you couldn't do a thing to stop it and you can't do a thing to help. I was completely useless to you, Korra, but after that day I made a promise to myself that I would never be that useless again."

Any words that Korra considered saying were caught in her throat.

"So please Korra will you get inside already?"

Korra stepped inside without any objections. "I didn't know," she murmured as she slid beside him into the room.

For the rest of the night, Korra sat at one of the dining tables, politely sharing small talk with whoever came along. She spent most of her time with Tenzin's children, allowing Pema and Tenzin to glide across the dance floor without fear that their children would cause any problems.

"Why don't you have a date, Korra? A lot of the older boys keep staring at you, why don't you dance with some of them? Oh! There's Bolin! You should dance with him. He seems like a good dancer."

"It's rude to point, Ikki." Her eyes followed where Ikki was pointing and her eyes met a certain metalbender's across the room. His eyes bounced between the table she was seated at and everywhere else, hyper vigilant to any possible threats lurking inside the ballroom and outside of it.

Jinora leaned forward, gesturing for Korra to move closer to share a secret. "Bolin looks very handsome in his uniform."

Yet again Korra was forced to glance his way. He did look particularly handsome in his uniform. He seemed taller to her and the well-groomed facial hair covering from the edge of his jaw to the top of his cheekbones suited him. He barely seemed like the same person to her.

xx

"Korra, are you ready?" Tenzin adjusted Rohan in his arms, the sleeping toddler nuzzling into his father's chest.

She turned back, her eyes sweeping over the practically empty ballroom, the only people left except for them were a few metalbending officers and the wait staff.

"I'll catch you guys back on the island."

Across the ballroom, Bolin was still standing upright, his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes followed her as she approached him.

"I think you owe me a dance."

Bolin stared, his eyes widening momentarily. "I don't think that's the best idea."

"Are you on duty?"

"You know the answer to that." The answer was technically no. He was no longer getting paid for his time spent at the gala, but so long as Korra lived he would be watching guard over her.

"One dance won't hurt, Bo, and I promise that I won't step on your toes."

The edge of his mouth curved into what appeared more like a half-smirk. She grabbed his hand, tugging him forward. "That's a poor excuse for a smile." The other edge of his mouth followed suit and if she squinted hard enough she could just barely make out a sliver teeth.

The band had long since left and all that was left was the wait staff's portable radio. The song was slow and a song they had danced to several times in the past before spirits roamed earth, before she would have needed to coax a smile from Bolin.

His hands were warm even through the silk elbow-length gloves. He wrapped his arm around her waist, his pinky settling on the small of her back. Though he moved with her, his entire body was tense, waiting to spring to action in case of an emergency.

"There's no one here, but us."

Bolin nodded, allowing his shoulders to sink into relaxation. Her cheek settled onto the cool metal chest plate of his uniform.

"Asami sure does know how to pick out a dress."

Korra nodded, "it's too pretty though, right? I kind of feel out of place in it, like it's wearing me instead of the other way around."

She felt his head shake, the hair on his chin scratching against her forehead. "You look beautiful. I don't think there's anyone or anything on earth that could manage to outshine you, Korra."

Her pulse quickened at his words and she hoped he couldn't feel it against his wrist. He didn't know how his words affected her.

She closed her eyes, allowing herself to be moved across the dance floor.

The song changed to a fast-paced one and he had stopped moving, his hands settling onto her biceps while his lips slid across her forehead. "The song finished. You should get home."

Korra raised her eyebrows at him. "I guess someone's going to have to escort me home." Her hand was outstretched toward him, his fingers laced with hers.

"Let's go. It's getting late."

She squeezed his hand, allowing Bolin to lead them out of the ballroom into the cool autumn night.

"I hope you know that you still owe me a full night of dancing."

Bolin chuckled, "And I'm sure you plan on forcing me to make good on this debt?"

"Well, someone has to keep you honest, Officer."

Through their linked hands, he pulled her toward him, his free hand settling onto her neck, his thumb sliding across her jaw. "And who's going to keep you honest?"

Her breath left in a shutter. "I-I've got a certain metalbender in mind."

His lips were only a breath away from hers. "Sounds like a lucky guy."

"You see, I always thought I was the lucky one."

"Yeah?"

She nodded, her nose sliding across his. "Yeah."

He caught her bottom lip between his, his lips moving over hers gently. There was no way he could have imagined this night would have ended up like this, Korra in his arms and her tongue sliding into his mouth.

Korra was the first to pull away, her breathing heavy. "Come on, Loverboy, we should get going."

He nodded, but not before pressing his lips against hers one more time.

"Let's go."

The couple walked into the night, her head leaning onto Bolin's shoulder. "I'll trade you one night of dancing for a few of those kisses."

"I think I could manage that," Korra said, pressing her lips to his jaw. "Definitely."