Chapter 7
Natalie and Mako awoke the next morning to a loud knocking on their door, and Zuko's muffled, "NATALIE, I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE OPEN THIS DOOR!"
Natalie looked at Mako in confusion, mouthing a silent, 'what the hell?'
Mako shrugged, but rolled out of his bed to answer the door.
"What can we help you with at… 5am, Zuko?" Mako asked with a fake politeness
"I need to speak to Natalie. She owes me something." Zuko said glaring behind Mako towards where Natalie's lamp hid her face.
Zuko moved to step in, but stepped right into Mako, "Now isn't really a good time." Mako said firmly.
A hand appeared on Mako's shoulder, "Thanks, but its ok." Natalie said softly, gently pulling Mako out of the way, "How can I help you Zuzu?" She said, a small smile lighting her face.
"I… Natalie, what happened to you?" Zuko said, momentarily forgetting his anger as he noticed her injuries.
"Nothing, don't worry about it." Natalie replied casually as she stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind her, "Now, can I help you?"
Zuko looked at the door suspiciously," Are you dating Mako? Is he beating you?"
Natalie blinked once, before she burst out into laughter, "Haaa, oh Zu, sweetheart, wrong on both accounts. Now, seriously, what did you actually come to talk about."
"Jet and Tess." Zuko replied, anger rising at the thought of the couple.
"Yeah, cute couple huh?" Natalie said, smiling to herself.
"No, bad, bad, couple. Not cute, bad." Zuko seethed.
Natalie winced at his tone, "Well, someone is a little green monster."
Zuko frowned, "No, I just want you to make them break up."
Natalie giggled, "I can't do that, sorry Zuko but you're on your own."
Zuko frowned as he watched Natalie knock on the door to her dorm, Mako opening it and ushering her in, and closing the door quickly behind her but not before giving a him look.
Zuko sighed, shoulders sagging as she shuffled back to his room, sad thoughts swirling about in his head as he pondered what to do.
But he knew just what to do.
He stood up, making his way to the nearest noodle shop.
Korra sighed, another uncomfortable math had just gone by. Rachel and Bolin had ditched her to go kiss behind the math department.
Korra smiled to herself, those two were too cute to deny. 'But now what do I do for the rest of the day?'
Korra wandered around campus for a short time, deciding to just relax until it was time for her Social Studies class.
Korra stopped by the snack shack, grabbing a bag of chips and a Gatorade to bring to her class. 'Avatar 101, why am I required to take this class? I'm the avatar for crying out loud.'
Korra walked slowly towards the class, wondering just how boring the class could be.
Opening the door and slipping inside, Korra looked around for anyone she knew. Spotting Natalie and Mako sitting off to the side by themselves, she skipped over to them in excitement, "Hey guys, can I sit with you?"
Natalie smiled, "Sure girl!"
Mako laughed, "They make the Avatar take this class?"
"Yeah? Right? Oh well, maybe I can make up whatever I want, cause I'm the Avatar."
Natalie chuckled, "Yeah, well help us out too yo."
Korra grinned, "Who's our teacher?"
Just then, the door opened, and in walked Tenzin.
Tahno slumped against the steamed up mirror of his dorm bathroom "Why do I have to be so pretty?" he asked himself, tears brimming in his eyes. "These looks are a curse. To always have people throwing themselves at me. To always be a model of perfection. It's too much." He choked out, stroking his image in the mirror.
"Why me?"
The world may never know, Tahno. The world may never know.
"Hello everybody." a familiar voice filled Korra's ears.
"No…" she moaned quietly, slumping down in her seat.
"Yup." Natalie corrected, reaching over to grab Korra's bag of chips.
"My name is Tenzin, and I'll be teaching you for the next semester."
"It's Tenzin." Korra hissed under her breath
"Yup." The bag crinkled loudly as she tore it open.
Tenzin spoke to the class, but it was background noise for Korra at this point.
"I get enough of him already, and now he is following me to college? Really?"
"Yup." Natalie popped a potato chip in her mouth.
Korra moaned quietly, her head dropping to the table "Why?"
"Well Korra, his father was the previous Avatar." Natalie pointed out, grabbing more chips.
"And?" Korra whispered.
Natalie shoved a handful of chips in her mouth, and said between the chewing, "There really isn't" munch " a better person" munch "to teach us about this stuff."
"Besides you, know, THE Avatar." THE Avatar insisted.
Natalie stopped chewing for a moment, "Yo. Dude, that means you can cheat on tests. You can just chat up your past lives and ask them what happened…. Can you sit next to me on test days?"
"Bolin, it's not that I don't think these trash cans are romantic, but perhaps we could go somewhere that smells nicer?"
Bolin looked around quizzically "But, this is a prime spot Rachel. It's out of sight, away from people, it's perfect!"
"But it smells," Rachel moaned, "and I can think of a better spot than this."
"You know what? You are right." He insisted leading his water tribe gal somewhere better.
He finally got the hint.
Finally.
Tahno crawled into the shower, weeping hysterically. "I'm too perfect." He kept uttering in between the tears.
He flipped on the water, and droplets cascaded like pearls down his firm chest and his attractive body. He looked so sensual through all of that steam.
The waterbender's cries escalated as he heard the narrator's description of him.
He was perfect.
Too perfect.
Why him?
"This isn't what I meant." Rachel explained, crestfallen after seeing Bolin's supposed 'perfect' make out spot
"Don't you like it?" He frowned, looking at her with hopeful eyes.
"It's not that I don't like it," she lied, looking away, "It's just that we are five feet from where we were."
"But we are behind the RECYCLING cans now Rachel. It doesn't smell anymore."
She shook her head, "Come with me I have a better idea."
"I'm starving." Korra whispered, stomach growling, "Time to eat my chi-"
"…"
"Natalie, where are my chips?" she stared suspiciously at the girl with crumbs on her shirt.
Natalie rubbed her stomach with satisfaction, "A better place now."
"Fine," she huffed, "I'll just have my drink." Korra reached for her bottle, only to realize that was also empty.
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
Natalie began rubbing her stomach again "Your drink is also a better place, Korra."
"Ohhhhh!" Bolin exclaimed as they walked into the familiar building, "If you wanted to make out in the janitors closet you could have just asked Rachel!" he rubbed his chin thoughtfully "I could probably ask the janitor to not go in there, if you'd like."
"No no Bolin, that's quite alright. You don't need to do that." Rachel sighed 'He's so innocent... brave little soldier. Too precious for this world.'
"Oh," he raised his eyebrow, a sly grin coming onto his face, "So you want to sneak in?" his eyes scanned his girlfriend, "I grew up conning people, so I'm really good at this type of stuff." He winked, "I'll gladly teach you how to be a pro like me."
"Oh, I don't need lessons." Rachel insisted, taking a sharp right.
"Really?" Bolin trailed behind her.
Rachel nodded, "Yup, I don't need lessons. Trust me."
For a minute Bolin considered where she could have acquired this skill, as he followed the swiftly moving water bender quietly.
"…"
"…"
Three lefts, to rights, and a trip up the stairs later, Bolin grew suspicious, "Hey Rachel, this isn't the Janitors closet..."
"Trust me this is the way, I promi- Oh! Look. Here we are!" She stopped in front of a door in the hall.
He saw the all too familiar door, "My dorm room?" he took this in for a moment "Ohhhh! This is where you wanted to go!"
"DING DING DING DING DING DING! We have a WINNER!" Rachel imitated the Shiro Shinobi's voice and spun around "The Fire Ferret has figured it out!" she announced triumphantly. "Now Bolin," Rachel threw open the door by where they had stopped, and walked in laying on a bed with a green blanket on it, "Come and claim your prize."
Tahno couldn't hear the door open from where he was.
All he could hear were the sobs ripping through his chest as washed his hair, letting the shampoo drip into his eyes, only making the crying worse.
"Ah, sweet freedom!" Natalie sighed, stepping out of the stuffy classroom, and into fresh air.
Mako watched Natalie stretching out her arms as he followed behind her silently. Ever since she had stumbled home bloodied and bruised, Mako felt this urge to keep her out of harm's way. It was hard for him to believe that someone as strong as Natalie had curled up weakly against him like a child that night.
"I'm starving!" Moaned Korra, stumbling towards the vending machines only to realize she forgot to bring money.
"You're hungry? You could have just asked me for some hot-chips." Natalie pulled a gargantuan bag filled with hot potato goodness out of her backpack, which seemed too small to carry enough food to feed a fire nation village.
"You had that, yet you ate my chips?!"
"Sharing is caring, Korra." She handed her the big bag of chips, "See? I care." Natalie said sweetly.
The Avatar burned with frustration, but it slowly fizzled out due to her hunger. She dug into the bag, shoveling the chips into her mouth.
"You're welcome."
Korra suddenly choked spitting out the chips "Spirits! These are hot!" She fanned at her mouth, "Why didn't you tell me?!"
"Korra, you know I only eat super-extra-spicy-firebender-flameo hot-chips."
Mako stared at the bag, "Aren't those illegal now for actually killing a guy?"
"They killed someone?!" Korra's face was now turning red as tears cascaded down her face from the heat.
Natalie shrugged, "Yeah. But it was probably a tasty death."
Mako sniffed at the bag curiously and reeled back from the intense smell, "Where did you manage to buy those?"
"I have my sources." Natalie leaned in a bit closer, "Why? You want me to hook you up?"
"No thanks," Mako handed her the bag of chips, "I enjoy being able to feel my tongue."
Natalie could almost hear Rachel's voice saying 'I know someone else who wants to feel that tongue'.
"Suit yourself," she shrugged, digging into the bag, popping a chip into her mouth nonchalantly.
"Hey! Natalie! Mako!" Natalie glanced to her side and saw Tess jogging her way.
"Yo."
"How was Avatar 101?"
"Filling." Natalie patted her stomach.
"And boring." Mako added.
"Asdhfkllllldsiaolahhhh" Korra hissed, the spicy chips starting to close up her throat.
Tess's eyes widened "Woahhhh, are those super-extra-spicy-firebender-flameo hot-chips? The ones that killed that guy?"
Natalie nodded, "Fuck yeah they are." Natalie tilted the bag towards Tess, "Want some?"
"NO." Korra rasped, "Don't!"
Tess noticed a red faced Korra laying on the ground panting heavily, face red, eyes wet. "Oh no Natalie, you gave her chips didn't you?"
"She was hungry." Natalie explained. "This was all I had."
Tess tossed her water bottle to Korra who downed it quickly "Catch."
Korra downed it quickly gasping in between gulps. "I'm going to refill this at the cafeteria," she choked, stumbling off.
"Kay- Seeya!" Natalie waved goodbye at Korra.
Tess took a handful of chips and started nibbling at them "These are fucking awesome."
"Mhm." Natalie shoved more in her mouth, "So what are you doing here?" she asked, words muffled by the food.
"I was looking for Rachel," Tess informed, "I wanted to ask her about maybe going on a double date with Jet and I tomorrow night."
"OoOoO," Natalie nudged Tess playfully, "Where are you going?"
"I'm not sure yet," Tess shrugged, "Somewhere with food, preferably."
An evil smile pulled at the corners of Natalie's lips, "You should go to the Diner. It has a super tasty late night menu."
"Sure. That sounds like a good idea." Tess decided. They had some really good milkshakes. They were actually so g-
"Let's go look for Rachel and tell her what she is doing tomorrow night." Natalie insisted, and the three of them set off on their search.
"Ah, I didn't agree to this." Mako protested.
"Ha-ha, cubby, that's funny because I just agreed to it for you. You're welcome. " Natalie whispered, almost threateningly.
Mako sighed, 'At least I can make sure nothing bad happens to her.' He gave in, and agreed.
"Fine- but only because I have nothing better to do."
"Sweet. Now, let's go look for Rachel and tell her what she is doing tomorrow." Natalie insisted, and the three of them set off on their search.
For the past fifteen minutes, Rachel and Bolin had been making{(read as the word "mackin")} out on the bed with the green blanket. They were rolling around playfully, and had almost fallen of the bed at least seven-and-a-half times.
"This is nice," Rachel crooned into the crook of Bolin's neck, nibbling gently his neck, "We have never really gotten any actual privacy together until right now."
"The trashcans are private!" Bolin insisted.
Rachel rolled her eyes, "Not like this."
"What about that one time in the secret tunnel? That was private."
"I mean, kind of, but…" she struggled for the right words, "But it's different in a dorm. No one can see us right now, you know? Closed doors. No worrying that someone will see us. It's… private."
"Hmmm…. I kinda see what you mean."
Rachel pulled away from his neck to face him, "So um… uh… Bolin…" she cleared her throat loudly, "Because we are out of sight, and no one is coming back soon, and we are dating and stuff I was thinking that maybe we could um…" her face burnt red as she looked away, "We could do more than just um… kiss…you know…"
"They aren't behind the trash cans." Mako declared, briskly running back to the group. They had been searching around the campus for Bolin and Rachel and couldn't find them anywhere.
"Weird," Natalie rubbed her chin, "That's where they always make out. "
"There and underneath the bending stadium." Tess corrected, "But they couldn't be there now because the teams have practice right now.
"Maybe they are in their dorms?" Mako suggested.
"Pfft." The two girls guffawed at the same time.
"Yeah right," Tess snorted, "As if either of them had the good sense to go somewhere private to make out."
"Seriously Mako, sometimes I feel as though you are not all there." Natalie shook her head sadly.
"It runs in the family." Tess whispered as she elbowed Mako in the ribs.
"Guys," Mako groaned, stepping away from Tess's elbow, "It's worth a try. Maybe Rachel had orientation for a class or something, and Bolin went back to his dorm. Or vice versa- I don't know. It's not like we have any better ideas."
"Fine," Natalie ruffled his hair playfully , "Whatever you say cubby. Let's go." She grabbed Mako's hand swiftly.
'She's so…weird.' Mako thought, glancing down, face feeling warmer than it had a moment ago. He couldn't help but be hyper-aware of the fingers intertwined with his calloused and burnt ones. 'She has really soft hands though.'
Tahno slipped out of the shower gracefully, his wavy jet-black hair flowing through the air with violent beauty. The shower mat caught his fall, and he lay there, looking as though he was ready for Jack to draw him like one of his French girls. He sat up, porcelain skin flushed pink from the steam. Beads of water dripped down him has he inhaled deeply.
He mentally crossed off his weekly ritual of crying over his undeniable attractiveness.
"I really am sexy…" he muttered, running his hand through his silky locks, a look of sorrowful acceptance on his face. It was the type of face you would want to make out with, and give cookies, and hug.
"Okay. Get your game face on Tahno." He told himself. He stared into the mirror, forcing his face returned to its natural state of overconfidence and general disapproval.
He rose to his feet and swiftly made his way towards the door, "Here goes nothing."
"Mm… Bolin…" Rachel moaned quietly, Bolin's rough hands caressing her breasts.
Her shirt and bra were already off, tossed across the room in Bolin's excitement. It had taken him a grand total of ten minutes to figure out how to unhook the bra straps and 'remove this horrible contraption', as he had said. Rachel was now only in her shorts, legs wrapped around Bolin's waist as he crouched above her. His shirt was off too, exposing his broad muscular chest. Rachel had wanted to take it off of him, but Bolin was so excited when he had finally unhooked her bra, that he threw off his shirt in victory and started to scream 'I did it! I defeated it!'.
Rachel grazed her lips along Bolin's neck, and bit his ear gently, "I told you this was a better place than the trashcans."
"This is… way better than the trashcans." Bolin groaned, "Why didn't we do this sooner?"
Rachel rolled her eyes, giving him a peck on the lips, instead of answering his question.
Bolin, feeling as though the kiss was enough of an answer for him, started kissing down Rachel's neck, then to her clavicle, and finally down to her chest. She bit back a moan.
"Bolin, you are really-"
But she was cut off. Not actually cut off, like, with scissors. But her statement was cut off by the sound of the bathroom door slamming open suddenly.
The scene Tahno had walked in on was nothing he hadn't seen or done.
Bolin screamed at the top of his lungs, jerking away from the door, covering his chest like a girl who had been walked in on changing, "A little privacy, please!"
Rachel had jumped at the sound of door opening, and covered her breasts with her hands. Who had walked in on-
'Oh. My. Spirits.'
A scream ripped through the air as Mako, Tess, and Natalie had made it to the top of the steps.
"Did anyone just hear some girl scream?" Natalie paused, looking around suspiciously.
Mako dropped Natalie's hand, "That was Bolin's scream." A mixture of worry and irritation (though, let us be very honest, it was mostly irritation) resonated in his voice, "He probably got himself into trouble. Again." He started sprinting down the hall towards his brother's dorm room, Natalie and Tess at his heels.
Hair as black as night flowed down the side of the pretty man's face. Ivory skin was stretched over his svelte, gorgeous figure. Water dripped down from his skin, forming puddle on the hardwood floor.
He was sexy.
He was beautiful.
He was… naked.
Rachel's face turned red hot as she realized how undressed he was. She covered her face with embarrassment- the D was a lot more threatening when you actually see one out in the open. How could she ever make a dick joke again?
Bolin, however, stared at his roommate in horror, and looked down only to feel his heart sink. Bolin didn't know that penis's came in that size.
Tahno's steel blue eyes framed with thick eyelashes that just screamed sex appeal stared at the pair on the bed with scrutiny. He had a look of mild amusement with an underlying look of frustration, as though he could still hear the narration describing how beautiful he was. That cry-fest was over though. It was Tahno time.
"T-Tahno!? What are you doing here?!" Bolin choked out.
Rachel kept doing double takes, peaking between her fingers and cringing away repeatedly.
Tahno reached into the bathroom cabinet, pulling something small out. "Catch." Tahno commanded as he tossed the item to the horrified Bolin. Bolin caught it, and glanced down at what looked at what his roommate had thrown him.
It was a condom.
"Swiggity swirl, have fun sexing up your girl." Tahno retreated to the bathroom, grinning wryly at the hilarity of the situation.
Mako had reached Bolin's dorm before Natalie and Tess. Without hesitation, he threw open the door, "Bro! Bolin! Are you o… kay." Mako's eyes narrowed "Bolin…" he growled, his voice resembling that of a parent.
"Oh god, what did he do?" Natalie asked, finally arriving with Tess at the door to see what had happened.
And there they were, Bolin and Rachel, half naked on the bed, Bolin holding up a condom.
"Oh." Tess and Natalie said in unison.
"Not getting involved." Tess stated, taking a step back.
"Wait! No! Mako! " Bolin looked at the condom and dropped it, "This isn't what it looks like!"
Mako stomped into the room, "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?"
She crossed her arms, glancing away only to see Haru and Jet supporting a drunk Zuko a short bit away.
"Hey Jet!" Tess waved, and Jet's face lit up with surprise.
"Hey Tess," he furrowed his brow, "What are you doing here? What's the fuss all about?"
"It's uh…" she glanced back at the mess of a room, "It's a long story. What happened to Zuko?"
Jet shifted, lifting Zuko up a bit more, "Well, Haru found him at the tea shop drunk off of his ass. His uncle asked Haru to take him back to the dorms. When Haru got on campus he passed me, and Zuko saw me, and stumbled over and said something about how I've taken his honor… then he passed out." Jet looked more and more confused as he told the story, "Now here we are. Can you let us through? Gotta put the little one to bed."
"You might not want to do that. " Natalie insisted.
"Huh, why not?" Jet and Haru came into full sight of the room at last.
Mako was screaming at Bolin, who was still on top of Rachel, waving a condom in his face.
"Oh." Jet stated, looking away.
Haru let Zuko go, who fell out of Jet's grip as well, causing Zuko to slam onto the ground "Why are they on my bed?!" Haru bellowed over Mako's barrage.
"Bolin, I thought this was your bed!" Rachel was nearly in tears. The yelling was scary, the situation was embarrassing, and she just wanted to put a shirt back on.
"No!" He shouted over Mako's reprimands, "This is Haru's bed! That's my bed!" He pointed to the bed across the room with a nearly identical green blanket. Rachel hoped a black hole would form and swallow her up.
Mako was still yelling, and finally grabbed Bolin by the ear, pulling him off of Rachel, "ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?" He roared.
"I'M SORRY." Bolin wailed, bursting into tears.
"SEX BOLIN? REALLY? YOU AREN'T OLD ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A CHILD! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!"
"I LOVE HER!"
Zuko stirred on the ground after hearing the screaming finally.
Tess glanced down, "I think Zuko's up."
"My honor," groaned the drunk firebender.
"I AM SO DISAPPOINTED IN YOU!" Roared Mako, screaming into Bolin's face.
Bolin was sobbing at this point, repeating the words "I fucked up, I fucked up, I fucked up."
Zuko covered his mouth abruptly, "I'm going to be sick." He ran past Natalie to the bathroom door, and threw it open.
There stood Tahno, Zuko's gorgeous roommate, in all of his glory still naked.
"Not again," Zuko moaned, tripping away from the door to Bolin's bed, where he proceeded to projectile vomit.
"My bed!" wept Bolin.
"MY bed!" Haru screamed at Bolin angrily.
Jet had enough of this, and whistled loudly in an attempt to silence everyone. No one shut up. In fact, the chaos got worse. Zuko slipped on his vomit, hit his head on the wall, and passed out with a concussion.
Jet sighed, "Didn't want to do this." He reached into his pocket and whipped out his… switchblade. Tess nodded with approval as Jet took out his… switchblade. He took the blade, and ran it down the chalkboard hung outside of the room. The high pitch keening caused everyone to cover their ears (except for Zuko who was passed out in his own filth at this point).
"Everybody settle down!" Commanded Jet, as the screech finally died off. "Mako," Jet patted him on the shoulder, "Calm down buddy." He bent down and grabbed a shirt and bra off the ground and tossed it to Rachel wordlessly. "Okay Natalie, come take your roommate."
Natalie snickered, "Come with me cubby, we are going home."
"Tah…" Jet began to point at the unbearably gorgeous water bender, "Nooooo….. never mind."Haru, I know you are angry, but clean Zuko up and put him to bed. He needs help."
Haru begrudgingly went to help Zuko.
"Bolin put your shirt back on and stop crying."
Bolin sniffled as he slipped his shirt on, "Okay," he whimpered.
"Rachel," Jet motioned towards the door. She scurried out quickly out of site.
"Okay," Jet crossed his arms, "Now that that's settled..." he turned to face Tess and extended his hand out and grinned wildly, "It's getting pretty late, let's go back to my room." he winked.
"I don't know, it's getting pretty dark out." She said glancing at the window.
"You scared of the dark?" He wrapped his arm around Tess's shoulders, "I'll protect you."
"No, I'm not scared. I have to do my astronomy homework!" she laughed, silly Jet,"I'll see you later Jet!" Tess skipped off happily, "Bye!"