AUTHOR'S NOTES: This chapter's got a lot of references to Ep.5 ("The Spirit of Competition") of the show. Korra might be inevitably going to end up with Asami, but she's still going to also be good friends with Bolin—because it's fully possible for a guy and a girl to be friends without having to be romantic. Unfortunately, nothing is ever easy for Korra these days, and so this chapter could be considered the calm before the storm—or the fluff before the angst.
Happy Reading!
BOOK ONE: POWER
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE: A NIGHT AT NAROOK'S
Bolin was much more nervous than Korra was as he approached the Sato Estate's front gates, but he managed to steel his resolve, slicking his hair back as he grinned.
"Who's the luckiest guy in the world?" He told no one in particular, "I am!"
Bolin rang the bell a moment later. Korra was there to meet him, noticing that he was wearing more or less the same thing he usually wore.
"Hey!" He gave a friendly wave, "you ready to go? I know just the place!"
"Sure," Korra habitually had her candy pouch and coin purse hidden somewhere on her person, and so thought little of it.
"So here's the thing," Bolin leaned in to whisper as if afraid someone would hear them, "It's a little bit of a walk, which is fine and all, but you think we could take your polar bear-dog?"
"I'm sure Naga wouldn't mind," Korra smiled, before whistling. Naga came running a moment later, licking Korra and sniffing Bolin. After a moment, Naga seemed content with his scent and didn't even growl at him—a stark contrast to her (in hindsight, correct) suspicions about Nakkoa and the Red Lotus.
"So," Korra hopped up, offering her hand, "Hope on, and lead on."
"Alright," Bolin joined Korra up on Naga's back, "Little Water Tribe, here we come!"
Korra's face lit up quietly. While she had very bitter memories of back home as of recent, there was still a part of her that would always be in the Water Tribes, and so if there was a slice of home in this melting-pot metropolis, then Korra projected this to be a good evening already.
Naga seemed okay with following Bolin's direction, and they raced through the city as the sun began to set. Soon enough they came upon a little place called Narook's Seaweed Noodlery, where Bolin indicated Korra to stop.
"This place is great," he looked particularly excited, "They claim it's authentic Water Tribe cuisine, and so I thought to myself 'hey, what better way to test its authenticity than by bringing an authentic Water Tribe girl to sample it?' The rest is history, and here we are."
Korra stopped and sniffed the aroma coming from the restaurant. "Mmm… it smells like home in a way… lead on, Bolin."
Naga sat down just outside the door, giving something of a mumbling growl and shooting Korra a very subtle look that Korra couldn't resist.
"I'll bring you something, girl, I promise." She offered, before turning to Bolin who had immediately started to peer into his own money pouch.
"Don't worry," Korra put a hand on his shoulder, "you can treat me, but I'll treat my polar bear-dog. And to be honest…" she paused to lower her voice, "if you're short on cash, I've got way more than I know what to do with."
"Aw, but that's not even the right way to do it," Bolin sighed as they stepped inside, "I can't ask you on a date and then make you pay for it."
"You're not 'making' me pay for it, silly." Korra laughed, "I'm volunteering. Seriously—if I don't I'll spend it all on candy and soon my teeth will all fall out. How about we worry about it after we've gotten a bite to eat, yeah?"
"Right, right!" Bolin seemed a bit jumpy, which Korra assumed was from a mixture of nervousness and excitement. It didn't bother her any; she had never exactly been on a date before and so wasn't sure what she was supposed to expect.
Fortunately for Bolin, the noodles they got were not only delicious, but also passed Korra's 'test of approval' regarding their authenticity.
"So… how do you like it?" Bolin nudged her after she had had some time to let the taste sink in.
"They're delicious!" Korra beamed, both her cheeks packed to near-exploding point with noodles, "and totally authentic! Hot damn, I didn't realize how much I missed Water Tribe grub!" She paused, before swallowing hard as the lumps in her cheeks vanished and briefly reappeared and disappeared on her neck as they descended down her throat.
"That's great," Bolin grinned, "Because this is legitimately my favourite joint in the city!"
"No kidding?" Korra raised her eyebrow as she ordered another appetizer on the side,
"No kidding!" Bolin assured her, "You Water Tribespeople have good taste. And you guys like eating lots of meat, right?
"Yup," Korra was already loading up her mouth again with food, considering chewing as more of an optional step. It was only after she swallowed another large mouthful that she realized she hadn't eaten anything all day. She briefly wondered if that was her own carelessness associated with her trauma (which also hindered her sleep patterns) or if it was just the excitement of anticipating both the date and the potential business deal with Butakha. Perhaps now was not the best time to consider either of these thoughts, considering how invasive they tended to be and how she didn't want to drag Bolin down because of her own grief..
The two teenagers enjoyed their appetizers and meal, with Korra discovering that Bolin was nearly as fond of meat as she was. It was the beginning of a good friendship. However, after a while, Korra's ear twitched noticeably enough to make the hair on the left side of her head quiver.
"Something wrong?" Bolin glanced at Korra, who was fixated on someone to his left, which in turn caused him to glance to his side and let his eyes follow hers.
"I know that guy…" Korra muttered, "I kicked his ass at Probending a few months ago."
"Oh no, Tahno and the Wolfbats?" Bolin sighed, "He's a real nasty dude."
"I'll say," Korra licked her lips, "why do you think I proceeded to show off after I whooped him?"
"That was great, if the crowds' reactions were anything to go off of," Bolin admitted, "We were in the changing rooms at the time, but we heard it." He paused. "Oh man, here he comes!"
Tahno swaggered over to where Bolin and Korra were sitting and flipped his hair.
"Well, well, well," he taunted, "of all the people I'd expect the mighty Avatar to carouse with, I didn't expect it to be a loser like one of the Fire Ferrets. I heard what happened to your team, Uhvatar… a bit of a disappointment even if they had what was coming for them…"
"I could still kick your ass in a 3-on-1," Korra challenged, hoping to spark some interest in her "Avatar Gauntlet" business proposition. "Prison Breakers represent."
"Come now, you rode on your team's coattails all through those matches," Tahno countered, "you know… if you'd like to learn how a real pro bends, I could give you some… private lessons."
"You wouldn't last 37 seconds in private with me," Korra's expression said flirty but her words said the opposite. "Or right here. You want to tango, pretty-boy?"
"Go for it," Tahno lost none of his confidence, "I'll even let you have the first shot."
"Korra, don't," Bolin whispered, "He's trying to bait you. And I'd hate to see you get arrested on a night we were supposed to be having fun."
"Smart boy," Tanho smirked, getting right near Korra's face. "It seems you're a little more fiery without your adult supervision, hmm?"
"Bitch, I am the adult supervision!" Korra riposted, "so how about you take your little gaggle of fangirls and go let them swoon over you while you leave us in peace."
"Hmm…" Tahno glanced around, "not without a token of your affection first, dear…" He reached over and with a deft move, snatched Korra's headband. He was not the only one surprised at what he saw on Korra's forehead. In that brief moment of surprise, Korra flipped her bangs and snatched her headband back.
"Still think it's a good idea to be playing with dangerous toys without supervision?" Korra taunted as she tied her headband back over her tattoo and whistled. Naga poked her head through the window, adding additional shock factor both by showing up, and also by the way she roared loudly at Tahno and his gang. Tahno recoiled and likely would have fallen over were his teammates not there to sustain him. He collected himself and with a deft movement, fixed his hair.
"Don't let that get to your head, Uhvatar," Tahno taunted, "the results could… blow your mind."
Regardless, Tahno and the wolfbats (and their associated fans) moved and left Korra and Bolin alone, where the latter was in shock and awe.
"Man, that tattoo is still so crazy!" he exclaimed, "And so was what you just did! I've never seen someone harass Tahno like that. You really are one of a kind, Korra."
"Let's drink to our success then" She offered, "a good way to wrap up the evening, yeah?"
Several minutes later, the Avatar and the earthbender were sipping their cocktails, which they both found particularly delicious. Bolin paused his sipping only to take a quick breath, but accidentally belched and covered his mouth. Korra, however, found it highly amusing, to the point where she took a sip, swallowed some air, and belched louder.
"Oh, you're on." Bolin grinned, and followed suit, out-belching Korra a moment later, even to the point where one of his eyes twitched comically. Not about to be outdone, Korra knew her moment had come.
"Bottoms up then!" Korra removed her straw before throwing her head back and emptying her entire glass. She slammed it back down with a satisfied 'ahh', before belching loud enough to nearly shake the table. There was a moment's pause as Bolin processed what had just happened, and then both he and Korra suddenly burst out laughing, completely disregarding the many disgusted or horrified looks that nearby patrons gave them.
"You know... " Bolin commented, "you have a really adorable laugh."
"I do?" It was not something Korra usually thought about. Most of the time when she laughed it was a sarcastic chuckle or an arrogant guffaw. This particular laugh had been much more natural and wholesome; a young woman finding simple comical amusement and reacting accordingly—and not at anyone else's expense.
"Yeah," Bolin smiled, "and I mean, I'm not trying to brown-nose or anything; it's just really cute. You should laugh like that more often."
"Tell you what," Korra licked her lips as she casually paid the tab to the passing waiter as Bolin was distracted, "Any time the opportunity to laugh like that arises again, I'll make sure to give it my best shot. How's that?"
It wasn't technically a lie. It may have been rare for Korra to laugh like that, but she would honestly try to keep her promise when all was said and done.
"I'll work with it," Bolin chuckled. "So how about we get out of here and roam the town… maybe see some of the sights as the city comes to life tonight?"
"Sure," Korra smiled, "It's not like I have any obligations tomorrow or anything. Lead on!"
Bolin led them (with Naga's help of course) to a landmark called Harmony Tower, which had an observation deck from which they could see most of the city. They ascended the golden-lit structure to the top observation deck, giving the two teens a shimmering view of the flashy city that never slept. Korra could see almost anything from here: Aang Memorial Island, the distant outskirts that housed the estates of Republic City's wealthiest citizens (including the Sato Estate, although she could not see that kind of detail from this far away), and saw the mountains to the north, which gave her pause. For only the briefest second, she could have sworn she saw two blue comets in the sky—a 3rd-party perspective on what it must have been like to watch Nakkoa and Korra battle.
Korra shuddered uncomfortably, and much to her embarrassment, Bolin noticed.
"You're not cold or anything, are you?" He looked at her curiously, "Sorry for all the questions and stuff too; I just don't wanna let you have a bad time, y'know?"
"I-I'm fine," Korra lied, although a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach told her otherwise. These thoughts that reflected back to her fight with Nakkoa; even her attack on the White Lotus compound—they were invading her mind and it was already becoming harder and harder to fend them off. "You're doing wonderful, Bolin. I couldn't ask for a better way to end the evening."
She just had to hold out for a little while longer, she told herself. Then they could go home, she could say goodbye to Bolin and thank him for the (truthfully) wonderful evening, and then she could let this all out.
"It will pass," she told herself mentally, "It will pass."
She couldn't have expected or prepared for the ensuing scene that played out in front of her. For a brief moment, she was back to being restrained against the wall of the cave, a wicked pair of flaming hands seizing her by the neck and the wrist, and she actually cried out. Naturally, Bolin noticed this too, and in his paranoia of trying to ensure that Korra had nothing short of an amazing time, he addressed it right away.
"Seriously," he turned to her, His eyes sincere and genuinely concerned, "is something the matter? Is there anything I can help with?"
"No, Bolin," Korra shook her head vigorously, "It's not you at all; Just my burn scar suddenly started hurting. I promise you, I'm having a fantastic time."
And the worst part about all of that was it was true. Her burns, particularly the one on her neck, had stung for a little moment, although that was likely just her memory triggering the pain rather than the actual wound. Her claim about having a fantastic time was also completely true, which was what aggravated Korra so much. Why did her horrific memories have to try and invade her mind on a night like this? It was one thing if they ruined one of her evenings alone, but she thought poor Bolin deserved better, since it was clear that despite his simplistic approach, that he had put a great deal of heart and soul into this evening, and Korra feared that she would accidentally crush it if she revealed all of her discomforts here and now.
"I never realized how beautiful this place was at night," she smiled, putting a reassuring arm around Bolin, "Thanks for taking me here; thanks for the noodles; thanks for laughing with me after we made fun of Tahno… thanks for the evening. I really appreciate it, Bolin. I promise."
"Oh stop, now you're just flattering me," Bolin went almost as red as Korra's burns.
"Oh, don't be such a wimp," Korra pushed him playfully, "Seriously though—I haven't had this much fun outside of the 'pit for years!" Earth Rumble, Probending, and a few other pit fights Korra had participated in during her sojourn as a mercenary had been some of the highlights of Korra's recent years, but in truth, Her date with Bolin was nearly flawless. If she hadn't been hit with these traumatic memories that were trying to ransack her sanity, it would have been perfect.
"Well hey!" Bolin seemed a bit more reassured now, "I'm glad you liked it! Maybe we can plan another outing one of these days or something?"
"Absolutely." Korra smiled. It was slightly forced, but whether or not Bolin noticed it was in the air. Before he could react either way though, Korra continued.
"And seriously… despite my little hiccups just now, I really did have fun. I hope you believe me."
"Well obviously I'm a bit nervous;" Bolin admitted, putting one hand on the back of his neck, "I mean, dating the Avatar and all that; but also wanting to make sure your first date wasn't rotten—especially on my account."
"Then don't worry," Korra kissed him on the cheek, "Seriously… I needed this. Thank you again."
"Hey, any time!" Bolin was blushing fiercely again, "But I guess it's getting kinda late, so we should get you home soon, yeah?"
"You're rooming at the Probending Arena, right?" Korra asked to clarify,
"Attic, yeah," Bolin shrugged.
"Naga and I will take you there." Korra offered, "We can get back to Sato Estate just fine on our own after that."
Unsurprisingly, Bolin was long and a bit gushy about goodbyes as Korra dropped him off, but Korra assured him with as much sincerity as she could muster that she had a fantastic evening with (almost) no regrets. As far as he needed to know, it had been perfect, because everything he had done with her and for her had in fact been perfect. It was her own mind that was messing things up for her, and thus there was no one she wanted to blame but herself.
Once he was gone though, Korra clutched her head, inhaling sharply.
"Naga, take us home, stat!" her breathing had tensed up altogether. "And forgive me in advance if I'm about to get really tense."
Almost as if they had been waiting for Korra and Bolin to part ways, a great many more of Korra's unpleasant memories surged into her head.