Whoops. Was gonna upload a well edited version of this chapter. But definitely already drank 4 shots of tequila. Oops. I'll probably re-edit this chapter when I'm sober. I just really wanted to get this one to you guys. Enjoy.

The Heist: Dusk

Bursts of fire burned against lavender skylight as Republic City shifted toward nightfall. Each strike sent an orange glow across the temple's courtyard: warmth clashed with the cool colors of the evening. Dusk was Korra's favorite time to practice firebending because of that. Sweat rolled over her brow as she threw a few jabs here, a few kicks there, and one particularly powerful roundhouse. She was fighting her shadow, partially ignoring the way her environment was growing soft around her. Tonight she wasn't really in the mood to pay it any mind.

Korra grunted as she began a new set. She had been practicing all day, something she hadn't been able to do in a while. This was partially due to all the destruction that the city had gone through. She threw a few jabs. To start, there was about a two hundred foot radius around the spirit portal that had been completely leveled—not to mention all of the buildings that Kuvira destroyed in her giant mecha suit. Korra frowned and thrust her foot out in a sidekick.

With so much of the city in disrepair, Asami was also working around the clock—hard sidekick. She was constantly in and out of the temple meeting Raiko for plans to repair the city's main infrastructure. The engineer was pretty much on the move at all times lately—which was really inconvenient. For the past few weeks the Avatar wanted to express how she was feeling outright, but all attempts had been unsuccessful. She launched a front kick. Yet, it wasn't like Asami didn't know. They had been flirting for months, dropping hints to each other here and there. Neither of them had said it out loud—and then the whole attack on the city happened—but both of them were aware.

Korra threw a few more frustrated punches, her fire going farther with each strike. She wanted to say it: she wanted Asami to know how she was truly feeling. But the timing had been off. The Avatar exhaled through her nose, sending fire through her fist that was just shy of crisping nearby shrub.

"Should you be moving around so much?"

Instantly elated, the Avatar swung her head around. Asami was coming down the courtyard's steps, bathed in the soft purple light of the evening. "Hey!" Korra beamed and jogged over to the other woman, meeting her halfway. As she grew closer, streaks of lilac spilled down Asami's dark hair in glints and shimmers, shadows lingered around her features, dipping one side of her face into darkness.

Dusk was throwing an ethereal cast over her, making the air in Korra's lungs feel thin. "Wow," she breathed. "I—uh, I'm fine," she spoke in hushed awe, only vaguely aware of the words tumbling past her lips. Clearing her throat she added, softly, "You look great tonight," and blushed as she became increasingly self-aware of her swooning.

Asami bowed her head, slightly flustered, and tucked a few waves of hair behind her ear. "Thank you," she responded. The slightest tug of a smile tweaked at the corner of her mouth. "You look sweaty."

Korra giggled and picked up the towel she had strewn over the steps to wipe her forehead. "I've been training for a while." She flipped the damp cloth onto her shoulder. "I did a healing session again this morning. Wanna see?" Lifting her shirt, she showed off a nearly healed gash. The redness had almost completely receded: the engineer's handy work had held up nicely. After the other woman had inspected the wound, she released her shirt's hem, adding, "I'm in good shape because of you."

Asami's mouth tightened. "Korra," her inflection made shivers run up the Avatar's spine, "I need your help with something." The engineer tilted her head up towards the sky. The previously lavender skyline had slipped into a fading pink gleam, while a deep navy blue extension, stars and all, began to shimmer above them. "I've been doing some research. A reliable source informed me that Cabbage Corp is developing long range weapons. Similar to, if not, the same as the one you encountered."

"Oh?"

Asami lowered her chin and met Korra's eyes. "I think we should do some recon."

"Like a mission?" One brow curved upward, wrinkles creasing under her hairline."Don't you think we should just tell Beifong?"

"Look. I'm not speaking as a CEO concerned about what my competition is doing. I'm talking as a part of team Avatar, concerned that this type of weaponry could fall into the wrong hands. Cabbage Corp has alway tried to make a fast yuan. If we go to Lin with only a few pieces of evidence, they'll conduct an investigation and someone will tip them off."

"And you want to find out for sure if they're making them or not while we have the element of surprise."

"Exactly."

Korra clenched her jaw, locking her molars together. If Cabbage Corp was manufacturing weapons, who knows where they would sell them. She absently rubbed a hand over her waist, over her healing wound, and looked up. The sun was almost completely set, the moon was full and rising, bringing with it a new silver shine. Her waterbending would be at its strongest. They could go under the cover of darkness.

"Okay." Korra brought her gaze down, "Okay. But let's go tonight. It's already been two days since our little accident."

Asami nodded. "We're gonna need some darker clothes."