[IC] Kindling Spirits | A Legend of Korra RP

[Genkai]

{ Chapter One: Sparks Fly }

The dazzling lights from the Pro-bending arena created the perfect atmosphere in Bolin's mind. The soft lantern glow reflected perfectly against Korra's dark skin tone, nearly causing Bolin to forget time's very existence. In his heart, he wanted nothing to change. To him, being by Korra's side overlooking Yue Bay was a truly perfect place to be. The view was great, the company even better. The earth bender had no complaints in his mind, though Bolin was seldom the kind of guy to complain. His resolve and optimistic humor carried him well through the hardships of living on the streets of Republic City. With his older brother by his side, Bolin felt like the tide was truly beginning to change for the better. He and Mako lived above the arena, they had met two great girls and had even made a new name for themselves as The Fire Ferrets.

For the earth bender, life was finally beginning to make sense.

Leaving Korra to enjoy the view, Bolin excused himself to go buy some flowers from a nearby vendor. So far, he and Korra had eaten noodles, enjoyed a Pro-bending game and he hoped to finish off the date with a gift, a bouquet of fresh flowers she could look at and think back to their amazing night together. Bolin pushed his way through the crowd and found the man selling different kinds of flowers. The brown haired male pouted and pondered, trying to think which flowers would delight Korra the most. To him the flowers were indeed pretty but could not compare to Korra herself. He thought about her clutching a bunch of lilies or roses but still felt unsure of what to get, what might make her smile the brightest. He decided on a variety of flowers and paid for them using the bit of coin he had left.

Though he and Mako got paid for bending, it was minimal and it usually went toward the rent they paid the owners of the arena. It was a tough life but having met Korra, it was a life more manageable. Bolin looked down at the collection of flowers wrapped in a bright red sheet of paper, everything tied together with a tight white ribbon. He bent down and smelled their light sweet scent, fining them once again, unable to compare to the blue eyed beauty waiting for him. Bolin navigated back to the railing where he and Korra stood only minutes ago. He spotted Mako only a few feet away, walking away from Korra, down the side steps of the balcony that ran around the outside of the arena that allowed guests a wonderful view of the city and the body of water. "Hey Korra, I got these for you!" He grinned, presenting her with the handful of roses, lilies, tulips and other flowers. His mind wandered as to why Mako would be hanging around but for now, he didn't find concern to ask Korra about whether not he did see Mako and if he had, why he was walking away.

"I had a really great time with you tonight. We should do this again, don't you think?" He smiled to her, hoping he'd be rewarded with the same expression of mutual happiness.

- - - -

On the other side of Republic City, nestled by the mountains, Asami Sato was currently finishing a training session with a skilled fire bender. Her father, mother, servants and instructor only knew about her skill with flames. Or lack thereof. Mr.Sato had lost his wife when she and another fire bender were in combat together. She and her husband had been walking around the city when a gang member stopped them for money. The woman refused and a fight broke out which resulted in her death. Asami had only been six at the time and had been forbidden from fire bending, as it would surely result in injury or trouble. Mr.Sato only wanted the best for his only daughter.

He ensured she could run his company should he ever step down. He ensured she could cook and clean but also drive a car and engage in hand to hand combat. Asami was a perfectly well-rounded woman who could be independent should anything happen to him. The dutiful father refused to leave Asami alone in the world but wanted to know she could still meet its challenges should the day come where he was no longer by her side. The young dark haired woman knew her father meant well but since having met Mako, a rather handsome fire bender, she decided to try fire bending. There had been a few instances when she'd produce a flame when her anger got the better of her. Still, her father would yell at her and punish her, though the fire had been purely unintentional.

For a long time Asai hated that she could fire bend, would try to ignore that side of her.

With Mako in her life, she could no longer ignore what was burning inside of her. She loved to go watch the Pro-benders, wishing she could fight alongside them. Her instructor was easing her into the art of fire bending. Since Asami had never trained before, it was a rocky process as most her age would have had a firm grasp of the movements and breathing. But Asami Sato was a quick learner and proud of the progress she was making by only her fourth lesson. As the man left the mansion, Asami went inside, knowing her father would be out late, meeting with clients or something. She couldn't be bothered to keep track of all of his appointments, even if she was trying to do more with him at Future Industries.

Moving into the large kitchen which was off to the left of the larger foyer and grand staircase, she made herself some tea. The servants all left the house at seven and didn't return until eight the following morning, with only two permanent ones living on-site. Still, Asami enjoyed doing things herself. Though she had grown up feeling pamper, she often stayed grounded by volunteering around the city and helping wherever she could. Her heart was never misplaced it seemed. Sweeping her black wavy locks to the side, she picked up the teapot as she had used her fire bending to help it boil quicker. Pouring herself a cup of hot tea, imported, she pulled out a leftover croissant and wandered across the large gleaming foyer to the large sitting room where a roaring fire was already waiting for company.

"Mmm...I wonder what Mako is up to...had I known my father would be out of the house, I would have invited him over." Asami mused aloud a slight smirk curving up against her red lips, thinking a romantic dinner together sounded pretty nice. Her mind had been circling around the topic of Mako for the past hour and she couldn't understand why. In her mind, he was likely out with Bolin, enjoying the warm spring air. Pat of her envied them, that they had one another, no matter what. Being an only child was difficult when your mother died and left you alone with a workaholic father. Sitting down in the velvet red couch which was lined with polished oak wood, she sipped her earthy tea and munched on her pastry, knowing she would need something far more substantial for dinner.

As if already knowing Miss Sato's habits, one of two permanent servants glided down the large staircase and asked Asami what she would like for dinner. With a moment to consider, Asami asked for a chicken salad with candied walnuts, craving something both savory and sweet. Asami looked back at the roaring fire and felt a rush of guilt. Against her father's wishes she was honing her fire bending skills. It was dangerous but in Asami's mind, she was almost an adult who could decide what she did and did not learn. She did not want to fear or hate fire bending. Her mother was a fire bender and Asami wanted to feel that connection with her, a connection she hadn't been able to feel for eleven years.

Dinner didn't take long to get ready and soon Asami had finished her meal and was beginning to prepare a batch of chocolate and sea salt cookies. Asami hated being so lonely in such a large house. It very rarely felt like a home. She toyed with the idea of inviting Bolin and Mako as they had plenty of room but she wasn't sure her father would like the idea of two boys staying with his young daughter. Tying to shake off the loneliness, she focused on her cookies and soon put them into the oven while she washed her hands. Glancing out at the dark sky, a sliver of the moon peeking behind the tall trees which surrounded her mansion, she felt a sense of peace. Asami was getting in touch with her fiery side and she really liked it and couldn't wait to impress Mako when the timing was right.

[SoleAccord]

‘So, what do you think of Korra in a… girlfriend sort-of-way?’

‘She’s great, but I think it makes more sense for me to go for Asami.’

‘I was talking about a girlfriend for me. Leave some ladies for the rest of us.’

--

‘Wow. We were really connecting out there in that ring.’

‘Yeah. You know, I feel like the two of us have been connecting really well out of the ring, too.’

‘Uh, s-sure.’

--

Mako had played these two moments together in his head for the last hour, questioning when exactly it was that his focus had begun to slip. He hoped that the fresh air just outside of the pro-bending arena might help get his mind off of the wrong woman, but it had done the exact opposite. The relaxed atmosphere, the occasional breeze, the hint of salt in the air, all of it had kept his mind on the Avatar, Korra, with little room to maneuver around her image. It wasn’t as if he hated her. Truthfully he found himself admiring her more and more, little by little, but it had never gotten as bad as it did right now.

Being with Asami was a dream come true. Any guy in this city would be ecstatic to be in the position he was in, and there was nothing about their relationship that had gone wrong yet. She was perfect. So why was it that Korra had begun to take priority over Asami Sato of all people? It had gotten to a point that even when the heiress of Future Industries was in his arms holding him tightly, he was worried about what Korra was doing at the time. She voiced her interest in him, something he couldn’t possibly accept, and when rejected she had finally looked to Bolin for some sort of consolation prize.

Or even worse, she was just using his little brother to get his attention.

And it was working.

Sitting around, standing around, any kind of simply being around wasn’t getting his mind off of Korra any sooner. Reaching into his pocket, Mako had begun to make for the nearest street close to the arena in hopes of hailing a taxi, his fingers flicking against the spare coins in his pocket. A nearby round of laughter in almost perfect unison rang nearby, bringing his attention up higher to the source. That was when Mako saw them. Korra and Bolin looked out at the bay, enjoying the view while an unknown conversation was being played out.

Were it any other day before this one, he may have said hello and went on his way. Bolin was happy. Korra was happy. But something about it did not sit well with him. His little brother liked her a lot, and didn’t shy away from telling him before. Korra had only decided to spend this level of time with Bolin after rejection. It could have only been to get back at him, he was certain of it.

So he went up, just as Bolin had run off, leaving Korra to admire the view alone for a time. He had to make this quick. “Hey, Korra,” he said. “You got a second?”

Korra spun around a little too quickly, looking more surprised than excited. “Oh, hey, uh… sure. What’s up?”

Mako brought a hand to the back of his neck and began to rub it. A short pause followed. “Yeah, well, about the locker room thing… no hard feelings, right?”

“No,” Korra shrugged and averted her eyes. “I get it. You’ve got Asami, and you said you didn’t feel the same way to begin with, so we can just forget that we even had that conversation.”

“Yeah, well… this isn’t just about that. It’s about Bolin,” Mako’s face hardened. As much as he didn’t want the conversation to take this turn, it felt necessary to him. Bolin meant more to him than his own discomfort. “I’d like it if you didn’t use him like this.”

Korra returned her focus to him, expression shifting to confusion. “Use Bolin like what?”

“You know what. First I reject you in the locker room, and then you take Bolin’s offer to go out with him. If I hadn’t rejected you, you wouldn’t even be with him right now. All you’re doing is trying to get to me by using him.”

“Excuse me? Whatever you think is going on here, you’re wrong. Bolin invited me out, and instead of sulking about your lack of feelings for me, I decided to have some fun with him. He’s a nice guy.”

“Exactly, he’s a nice guy and he doesn’t deserve to be treated like a rebound.”

“A rebound? I’ll say it again: you’re wrong. We spent the day together, as friends!”

“Riiight, friends,” Mako said sarcastically. “Look, just admit you’re using him and promise me you’ll let him down easy.”

“Are you even listening to me!?” Korra’s demeanor shifted entirely. No longer the blushing, cheerful mess she was earlier, Mako’s presumptions had made her blood run hot. “I’m not using Bolin. He’s a friend, a friend who offered to take me out and have some fun. I was forgetting all about our little post-game chat until you showed back up,” She stepped forward, finger prodding at his chest. “What, was Asami too busy tonight and you thought you’d just show up and take your frustration out on me?”

“I’m not taking anything out on you. I was on my way to Asami’s place anyway!”

“And you just saw me and decided you’d come up and… and…” The wheels in Korra’s mind had begun to turn. The irritation that surged through her body had dissipated, replaced by a sudden satisfaction that wrapped around her body and mind like a blanket. The trace of anger on her face had relaxed into one of understanding. “Wait a second, I see what’s happening now,” Korra’s hands moved to her hips. “You’re jealous.”

“Jealous?” Mako repeated, surprised etched on his face. “Jealous of what?”

“That’s what I’m wondering myself,” Korra grinned. “You saw me having a good time with Bolin—without YOU—and you just couldn’t handle the fact I wasn’t crying my eyes out about what happened. This was never really about Bolin. It was about a part of you regretting what you said to me and wanting to be with me. That’s it, isn’t it?”

“Wh-what? No, you’re— “

“It is!” Korra would confess that she could be wrong, but this was not one of the times she was. Mako’s flushed face said it all. “So what’s wrong with Asami?”

“Nothing, she’s perfect!” Mako argued.

“Riiight,” Korra said smoothly, mocking his earlier doubtful tone. “Asami is so perfect that here you are with me instead. Or… maybe she’s missing something.”

“Like what?”

“It’s not my job to figure that out,” Korra’s satisfied grin faded into a relax smile. “I can always help you with that, if you’re interested.”

Mako froze, deliberating. “What?... I don’t… no, no,” he said, shaking his head. “This was about Bolin. You can stand there in denial, bu—“

Korra had moved in, stopping him in the middle of his sentence with an interruption like no other. Her lips fell upon his own, capturing them and bringing a long moment of silence between them. Where she was relaxed and more than at peace, Mako’s eyes were wider than she had ever seen. Whatever he felt at that moment, Mako wasn’t fighting this. Fighting her. And that only served as a silent encouragement.

It was only when Korra had grown too comfortable, pressing her chest against his while her hands moved to his shoulders, that Mako had snapped back into reality. With a firm push, he had separated himself from Korra’s grasp and stared at her satisfied smile with shock and disbelief. He had no words, no other expression, and slowly Korra had begun to realize that perhaps she had miscalculated a little. Before more could be said or done, Mako had turned away and left the way he came, leaving a disappointed Avatar watching his back.

As if on cue, Bolin—who Korra was ashamed to admit to herself that she almost forgot about—had returned bearing… flowers?

Korra looked from Bolin to the flowers, trying to muster the same cheer she had before he had confronted her. “Oh, thanks Bolin… they’re nice.” Her smile was there, but it was different. Weaker. She wasn’t the same Korra he had left alone just minutes ago.

~-~

Three half-hearted knocks were heard at the front door of Asami’s home almost thirty minutes later.

[Genkai]

Immediately Bolin began to berate himself since Korra's reaction clearly indicated he had picked the wrong flowers for her. His face refrained from falling too much though. Bolin glanced to where Mako had vanished in the sea of people and then back to Korra who seemed out of sorts. What had happened while he had gone? He frowned slightly and dropped the arm holding the flowers. Though Bolin was a bit childish at times, even he could tell something had happened. It couldn't be the flowers. Was it something between his brother and Korra? He tried to review the past few hours and even days, trying to figure out what could have happened between them. Their Pro-bending match earlier had gone great, they won. But had Korra and Mako fought? Bolin wasn't sure if they'd be stupid enough to risk team dynamics and get in a fight.

Still, he needed to break the silence that filled the space between them.

"What was that all about?" Bolin asked her flat out. He had explicitly told Mako about his intentions with Korra. Mako didn't seem bothered by it and Bolin didn't think he would be, in fact Bolin had expected some support and encouragement. So to see Mako leaving Korra who was now clearly bothered, made Bolin rather suspicious and a little concerned. He let out a long heavy sigh and shifted his weight backwards, away from Korra. "What's going on between you two?" He asked Korra, pressing further. "I thought tonight had been going so well. I was really enjoying my time with you, Korra but it seemed like you were holding back from me...for whatever reason." He glanced away and felt his fists clench, still resting by his sides, flowers long forgotten.

"And now I know...it's something to do with Mako, isn't it?" Though Bolin had no evidence to assume something had happened or was happening between them, he could sense it. And looking back on the past couple hours, he had to wonder if Korra wished he had been Mako instead. "I thought we'd make a great pair, you and I. I thought tonight you'd be able to see that too but I think I may have been wrong...about that." He wondered if he had also been wrong about Korra but that had yet to be confirmed. What he felt in his gut though, was that Korra probably liked Mako and maybe Mako liked Korra, even just a little bit. He let out a quiet laugh and gave a shrug, feeling rather stupid. "At least I tried. I'll see you tomorrow, we've still gotta check out the competition. Night." And with that, he headed off, wishing the night had ended the way he had pictured it ending in his head.

He would have walked her to the dock, would have leaned in and kissed her goodnight under the stars.

Instead he went home alone, not really caring where Mako had wandered off to.

- - - -

Once the two batches of cookies had been baked and cooled, a warm chocolate aroma had begun to filter throughout the lower part of the mansion. It calmed Asami who had already munched on a few cookies while nursing a cup of cool milk. She soon put half a dozen on a plate and went up to her father's office, leaving it on his desk. She had a sinking feeling he would be back late again but she hoped the cookies would serve as a good treat for him with perhaps his morning coffee or his nightly glass of whisky. Asami headed out, closing the sturdy oak door behind her, her hand grasping the golden handle tightly. She headed back down the long hallway and then down the large staircase in the middle of her cherished childhood home. Asami headed back into the kitchen to grab one more cookie but found her quest on pause, given three sudden knocks snapping her out of her pensive thoughts.

She checked the grandfather clock and noted it was getting late by no means late enough to dissuade visitors.

Crossing over to the door, she pulled it open and found her face light up at the sight of her boyfriend. "Mako! This is a surprise." Asami smiled brightly, her heart beginning to feel the familiar flutter of butterflies that only Mako could coax from her depths. She noted his face and motioned him inside, "A good surprise, I assure you." She tried to soothe whatever nerves he had. She found it cute that even after all the time they spent together as a couple, he could still look so nervous sometimes. Closing the door behind him, she ushered him inside and off to the sitting room where the fire was. Though the spring season wasn't outright cold, it was windy come nightfall.

"I just finished dinner but there should be a few cookies left, I just took them out of the oven so they might still be warm." She considered slowly, wanting to mention she could warm them up with her fire bending but resisted telling him her little secret. It just wasn't the right time. Asami leaned against the back of the couch and looked to Mako who seem rather quiet, more quiet than usual. She glance down, his feeling seeming contagious. "How was the match tonight? I'm sorry I couldn't make it...I was doing some volunteer work and..." Asami trailed off, having an inkling that the match wasn't on Mako's mind.

Reaching out, she took her hand in his. "Well, what matters now is that we've got some time together." She smiled. She turned around to face the fire now, her eyes following the flames as they rose and fell, seeming to live in eternity. Asami glanced to Mako and then back to the fire. With her fire bending being explored, she was hopeful that it would bring her and Mako even closer as a couple. It might even give her and Korra some common ground, as it still seemed like she and the Avatar had a weird relationship with one another, for whatever reason. "So what's on your mind? You seem upset." She squeezed his hand lightly, her thumb gently brushing the back of his hand.

[SoleAccord]

Bolin’s forwardness had caught her off guard. She opened her mouth to try and explain it away, but nothing had come out. Not a thing. She didn’t quite understand what happened herself. Several minutes ago they were sharing a great evening together, better than they ever had before. Then Mako had shown up throwing around words and something had just clicked in her head. He had feelings for her that he wasn’t willing to admit. She had to make the first move to get him to fess up. She had to.

The more she looked at Bolin and brought herself to face his confusion and ache, the more she felt the exact same. She liked Mako and was so sure that all of this was because she liked her, too. But by doing so she had forgotten Bolin, who had done nothing but praise her since she had come to the city. Her body grew warm and her jaw tensed. Nothing. Still no words could be mustered from the depths of her throat. An explanation of some kind had to be given. Yet nothing came, nor was coming at all.

Just when she believed that the pit in her stomach couldn’t get any wider, Bolin had to mention the idea of them being a pair themselves. Bolin wasn’t exactly subtle about his attraction. Until tonight, after Mako’s rejection, she never would have thought they would have so much in common. A great time with no regrets shared, until now. At that moment Korra had recognized the defeat in Bolin’s voice. It was the very same one she had when Mako had told her, without even looking her in her eyes, that what he felt for her wasn’t the same as what she felt for him. And she had to swallow it down and try to find a way to move on. Then came Bolin…

Her eyes were low, no longer to meet with his own. The low laughter he emitted was enough to make her shoulders sag slightly. The weight of her guilt had begun to manifest; she wasn’t able to argue, or explain, or even look directly at him. As sad as it was to admit it even to herself, Bolin departing had brought more relief than anguish, but even so she had stared at the flowers she had in hand.

“What did I just do?”

She would ask herself that for the rest of the night. Even as she walked home alone, even as she glided across the bay to that cozy little island home in the middle, and even as she set the flowers Bolin had brought for her into the water and gave them a little nudge to float away to find more deserving hands.

What did she just do?

~-~

‘Just tell the truth. Look her in the eye… tell the truth…’ Mako recited in his head again and again, staring hard at the door ahead. Just past it he could hear the familiar footsteps that were much too heavy to be her butler, and too ladylike to be a simple maid. Even without seeing it for himself he could tell that it was going to be Asami that would open the door. No matter how much a small part of him wanted it to be anyone else telling him that she had retired for the evening, forcing him to put this off for a little longer… which would only make things worse for him in the long run. He wouldn’t be able to sleep well until Asami had known, had heard it from his own lips. What Korra had done was because of him. If he hadn’t cut in, none of it would have happened.

Sharply inhaling one final breath, Mako straightened up as the door opened. As expected, his beloved—if he even had the right to call her that much longer—was who had come to meet him. He had done his best to smile against the tension in his face, offering her a smile that was just believable enough for her not to find anything wrong with him. Her smile was enough to encourage him to go through with this. She was owed this. As long as he remembered that, he could stay strong in spite of how weak at the knees he felt.

“Yeah,” he said quietly before clearing his throat. “Sorry to come so late. I really wanted to see you.”

He stepped inside, looking back at her as she closed the door before she had ushered him off into the sitting room, joining him soon after he sat. The promise of dinner with Asami, practically alone, sounded promising on any other night. Being alone with her now had brought nothing but anxiety. It was difficult to put on a brave face when you had to look on the one person you hurt, knowing that she had done nothing but support you.

“The match was… it was good,” Mako rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, dipping behind his scarf. “You don’t need to worry about missing any of our games. Ever. If it weren’t for you… well… you know, the sponsoring and all is the only reason we’ve gotten this far. It’s really all thanks to you.”

She reached for his hand, speaking of the time they now had. The dread that crept along his body was so strong that she was beginning to see now that he was different. He could drag this out for as long as he wanted, but Asami wasn’t dumb. She’d ask. She’d notice. Eventually, she’d know everything. It had to be now—had to be him. Here goes nothing…

“Actually… Asami, there’s something I came here to tell you,” Mako said, eying the thumb that rubbed against the back of his hand. He frowned and placed his free hand atop hers, firmly grasping it in his own. “I… earlier tonight... something happened that I’m not proud of. I thought I was doing the right thing but all I was doing was thinking about myself and my own stupid pride. I don’t know what I was thinking, and there’s no perfect way of telling you what went down, but…” He looked back up at her, “I’m going to try. I owe you that much.”

He had to take another deep breath, though this time his eyes didn’t waver from hers. Hopefully she was bracing herself for anything and everything he could possibly tell her. Doubtful was it that the truth was anything she could ever have expected.

“Korra kissed me earlier.” It was going to hit her. Hard. Mako began to talk faster, giving her all that he could in a short amount of time. “But it was my fault. Bolin took her out on a date tonight, but I don’t think Korra really understood how crazy she drives him. I only confronted her about taking the date after she confessed her feelings to me after our game. I thought it was to make me jealous by using him. She said it wasn’t. I didn’t think she was being honest. We argued and the next thing I knew, she was against me, and her lips were on mine—but I moved away. I—I left after that. I couldn’t think. And all I could do on the way here was ask myself where it all went wrong in that conversation.”

By the time he had concluded, Mako had lost all breath in his lungs, even having begun to pant a little. Anything Asami felt, he would be able to feel it through her hand, and read it on her face. To what very minuscule credit he could give himself, he didn’t turn his back on her. Somehow, he managed to keep his gaze steady on her every step of the explanation.

“I… I should have left it alone but… I don’t know, I was being stupid and I was caught up in my own feelings about her—the situation she was in, that is!” He quickly corrected. “I rejected her. Maybe she saw Bolin as a consolation prize or something. If it was to bother me, it worked. Everything about it felt unnatural to me, and I can’t figure it out. All I know is that I’m an idiot for trying to get involved, and I’m sorry I spent the evening thinking about that when I could have spent it with you instead.”

Perhaps the longest possible silence he could have imagined had followed, before he had concluded it with a pathetic whisper.

“I’m sorry, Asami.”

[Genkai]

When Mako began to mention that something had happened, her mind went to the match itself. Had Mako gotten injured perhaps? Or Bolin or Korra? Asami felt the slow churn of anxiety and worry swirl around her stomach, filling her with a mixture of nausea as she looked to Mako for more information on the mysterious matter. Her eyes briefly cast downwards at his hand moving over hers, allowing her soft hand to be surrounded by his warmth. There was tension between them and Asami felt compelled to remain silent in hopes Mako could feel more relaxed to tell her what seemed to be weighing so heavily on his mind. Mako took a deep breath, seeming to brace himself for the truth, whatever it was. Asami grew more unsettled as her mind wandered to the possibilities. Perhaps there had been some sort of accident or maybe something had happened in Republic City?

Never had it crossed her mind that something could happen concerning her and Mako's relationship.

But there it was...

His words sliced through her heart as her eyes shimmered, tears already forming as the realization continued to repeat itself over and over in her head. Korra kissed Mako. They had kissed. They had kissed. Her mouth fell open as she tried to shake the image from her mind. She wondered how Korra tasted, did Mako prefer Korra's lips over hers? What the hell even happened? Never had she thought she had to worry about Mako and Korra, nor had she considered Mako would ever stray, he didn't seem like the kind of guy to do that to her. She thought he had integrity. She thought Korra had respect. Asami had been terribly mistaken and the sharp pain was making it increasingly hard to breathe, was proof of how wrong she had been. She had misplaced trust in them, those she considered friends. She had done so much for Korra and Mako and Bolin.

At the mention of Mako saying Korra confessed feelings for Mako after their match tonight, her ears perked up. So Korra did have feelings for Mako? Why had Mako gone after Korra then? What gave him the right to meddle in Korra and Bolin's affairs? Mako could claim he was looking out for his brother but Asami wasn't sure how true that was, deep down. It just didn't make sense. Her heart was pounding in her ears as Mako ended his fast paced explanation. She slipped her hand out from between his and looked off, torn between shouting and crying. Tears were already escaping the distant corners of her eyes. Her vision blurred so she didn't have to look at the man in front of her. Closing her eyes, two timid trails of tears began to fall down her cheeks.

Her teeth scraped along her lower lip but words failed to resonate within her.

She felt...empty.

Mako continued to fill the silence, saying how he knew he shouldn't have pried and how if Korra had been trying to get at Mako, it had worked. It didn't make sense. Why would Korra do such a thing? Would she really use a sweet guy like Bolin to get Mako, who was in a relationship, to fall for her? Asami looked back to Mako as he finished, saying how he was sorry. Sorry, what a useless, meaningless word. She swallowed and brought up her hands to wipe the wetness from her face, her cries silent. She had learned long ago how to cry without making a sound, as her father's request. He said he hated to see his little girl upset so Asami had then since trained herself to do it in such a quiet manner that it would not upset the only person she had left.

"You...you knew Korra had feelings for you? Don't you think I should have been informed of that? That your girlfriend should know that kind of information? That someone she thought to be a friend, likes her boyfriend?" The lack of logic was baffling. "So instead you went to confront her about her date with Bolin, don't you think it would have been more sensible for you to talk to Bolin directly and tell him about Korra and your suspicions? Why would even put yourself in such a delicate situation? You can't pin this entirely on Korra!" Her anger was building, the tears were slowly drying, allowing her to see things more clearly.

Her breathing was becoming more deep as she took a step back. Her tears may have stopped falling but her eyes were still just as glossy with tears, not just filled with betrayal but also rage. "What Korra does is her own business! It has nothing to do with you or me! But you made it about us, you put 'us' on the line so you could strut in front of Korra and act like everything she does is about you!" Her tone changed from fiery passion to slightly more controlled. "How could you be so arrogant? That's not the man I first met...he was actually thoughtful and gentle and didn't care what the Avatar did..."

She clenched her fists and sighed deeply, voicing her thoughts because Mako had to hear them, she didn't want secrets between them. "You were drawn to Korra...you don't deny her ploy, whether it was one or not, worked. Is it because she's the Avatar?" Asami licked her lips, finding them dry, almost wishing to feel Mako's against her. But she couldn't imagine kissing him at the moment, given Korra had just done so. Had she been truly invited to do so? Compelled? She had Mako's story but she would never fully know the truth or intention from either him or Korra. It was very unsettling, so much so that her arms were beginning to shake. "I know she's amazing, so wonderful, she saved the Fire Ferrets and she's been a good friend and...and she can bend all four elements. I wouldn't blame you for feeling drawn to her..."

[SoleAccord]

It was insincere and perhaps even a little foolish to say it to himself, but Mako hurt just as badly as Asami did. As he filled in every blank that he could, the tears that quietly flowed from Asami’s eyes was a site so pain-inducing that it begun to make his own eyes sting. It did not feel good to see her like this, just as much as it did not feel good to tell her any of this. Ironically, he would call that a good sign; if he felt pain from her own, knowing that what had occurred was the source, Mako understood that what he felt for Asami wasn’t in jeopardy after all. He felt something for her that Korra did not manage to come between, and he wanted it to stay that way. Maybe even stay that way forever. Firstly, he’d need to be able to see a tomorrow with Asami Sato as his girlfriend.

Right now, it wasn’t looking likely.

His hands now deprived of her warmth, Mako set them on his knees as the dam of Asami’s emotions split in two. He could only wait until there was a pause in her fury before trying—desperately—to explain himself further. Asami was entitled to rant, rave, and rage at him, but he was still trying to do the right thing deep down. Somewhere deep. Way deep. Right?

When she stood and took a step back, Mako stood up. “If I went to Bolin, it would have just made him insecure and depressed! What kind of a brother would I have been if I came to him with nothing but a hunch, and it just so happened to be tied to the fact Korra wanted me more than him? I just thought that if I confronted Korra—“

Mako was cut off and completely silenced by Asami’s next volley. Unlike before, where he felt he might have been able to explain it all away, the comparison of who he was then to who he was now had kept him mute. It was arrogant. He knew even before he approached Korra that maybe, just maybe, he was putting himself on a pedestal he didn’t need to be sat upon. But there was just something that wrenched at his gut when he saw Korra take his little brother up on that offer to go out and spend some time together.

A deep frown formed on his face, eyes downcast to the floor beneath their feet. Asami had continued by suggesting he was drawn to Korra. This wasn’t something he could just jump up and outright deny. Korra was amazing, there wasn’t any doubt about that, but it wasn’t just because she was the Avatar. Asami’s fear of that had roused him from his silence, meeting her face with a hard stare, one filled with determination.

“You’re wrong. A girl doesn’t need to be the Avatar to have my affection—or be able to bend ANY element. Aren’t you proof of that?” He dared to step closer, and dared even further to reach out and let the tips of his fingers brush against hers. “I… I messed up tonight, Asami. I thought that maybe I was doing the right thing, protecting Bolin from getting his feelings hurt… but you also had a point, that I could have just been too absorbed in my own ego to just let Bolin and Korra be themselves. It would have been simpler if I just came here and got lost in your smile, like I always do.”

The pounding of his heart and the trembling of his arms betrayed the bravery he thought he was showing. He needed not to shy away from her, otherwise he would only confirm her worst fears. His hands moved beneath hers in a careful attempt to cup them.

[Genkai]

Asami shook her head as Mako tried to defend why he hadn't gone to Bolin and instead went to Korra. It just didn't make sense of her. If she had a sibling, she would tell them anything, good or bad and expect them to listen. But she didn't have any siblings, didn't have any experience in that area of her life and knew she couldn't exactly give advice on the matter. When Mako insisted that his attraction to Korra had nothing to do with her ability to bend or that she happened to be the Avatar. She stepped back as he stepped closer. He hadn't yet directly denied whether or not he had feelings for Korra, only that her bending didn't have anything to do with it. She wasn't so sure.

His hands moved to hers and she glanced off, her anger still simmering under the surface.

"You haven't yet denied you're attracted to Korra. I get it...she is special...you must look at me and think I'm so ordinary, so unsuspecting. But I don't need to be saved or cast to the sidelines, Mako. I can fight just as hard she can." She whispered as she created a burst of fire, having let go of his light touch. It seemed as though Mako had thought he had imagined it or couldn't believe such fire could come from her so she did it again, this time prolonging the flames in her curved palms. The close ribbons of light and fury bounced against her face as she looked into Mako's eyes. "I'm not Korra...but I am a fire bender."

She nearly seemed to be pleading for him to look at her the same way he might look to Korra. Asami knew it was tough competition but she didn't want to lose, she couldn't lose Mako. "You broke my heart, Mako. Saying you're sorry doesn't mean anything to me. It's the difference between me saying I want to protect you and finally being to do just that." Her flame vanished as she lowered her hands and grabbed his with unmistakable caution so he could feel the fire was not a fluke, but very real. "If you're attracted to Korra, I need to know. We need to get to the reason why you confronted her and not your own brother. That kiss wasn't just a kiss, you both were part of it for one reason or another."

It was a tough situation to be in. Shew could see Mako was truly remorseful about what happened but it didn't change how hurt she was feeling. Asami also wanted to hear from Korra and get her side of the story. Asami had considered them friends but no real friend would kiss someone else's boyfriend. That would have to wait, what mattered was her and Mako, as well as Mako and his brother. "And you owe Bolin the same truth you've shared with me...if you think there's a way to salvage the mess you made, you need to talk to him and tell him, for his own sake as well as your relationship as brothers." She told him sternly. Bolin was so sweet and full of love, he didn't deserve to be kept in the dark because Mako wanted to protect him. That wasn't right.

[SoleAccord]

As he feared, Asami wasn’t welcoming any touch that she did not initiate herself. Mako decided not to try again for now, having already pushed his luck more than enough. Once more she had brought up his attraction to Korra, something he couldn’t deny, but she had also brought up Korra’s uniqueness by downplaying herself to prove her point. Yes, Asami couldn’t bend, but that didn’t mean he didn’t see value in her. She had already proven herself a friend to the Fire Ferrets and a capable person, bender or not. To bring it up again in such a somber tone had killed him more inside. Even a girl as incredible as her could have her share of insecurity.

“I know you c—“ It was the briefest flare, but beneath Asami’s face appeared a sudden burst of flame, seemingly out of nowhere. Peering down, all he saw was her balled fist. Could he have imagined it somehow? “Asami…did.. did you—“Again, from the palm of her hand, now cupping it with the other, Asami had generated flame from nothing. That should have been impossible for all but two people: Korra, and a fire bender. Asami’s revelation was confirmed by her own words. She was the latter. She was a fire bender all this time.

His jaw dropped in awe. This reveal hadn’t stopped her from continuing to express herself, and to prove he was taking this very seriously he had to meet her eyes again. Difficult considering what his formerly non-bender girlfriend had just done, but he gave it his very best effort. Asami didn’t care for sorry and he couldn’t blame her for not settling for it. In an instant, the flames disappeared from her hands, and she reached out for his own. From the shared connection, Mako could feel the warmth that they had left behind. More importantly than confirming that his eyes didn’t fail him, that he wasn’t just imagining things, she had taken his hands in his own, a gesture which he did not hesitate to return.

“Asami, I swear, I just thought Korra would be easier to talk to without hurting. I already rejected her, I just didn’t think she’d translate it into me liking her,” Mako explained. He would not deny his hand in that kiss being made possible, but his intentions were not as secretive as she’d like to think. If it came between Korra and Bolin, he would rather have a bad discussion with Korra. It helped, unfortunate as it was, that he had already had a bad discussion with her prior to that one.

Mentioning owing Bolin the truth of what happened tonight had brought a greater sinking feeling into his chest. She was right, but for once he wished she wasn’t. If there was a shred of good in Korra—and he knew for a fact there was—then she might have thought that confessing to what happened was the best plan, too. But that didn’t change what he did--what the two of them did. It would hurt Bolin, he knew that, but sitting on the knowledge of what he did was much worse for him to bear.

“I… I know, you’re right,” Mako conceded, looking off to the side. “Asami… I… I’ll admit that I think Korra is attractive,” he faced her again, “but I swear to you that being the Avatar or even a bender has nothing to do with it. You don’t want to hear it, but that’s the truth, and I’m telling you because… because you deserve to hear me admit it. But I don’t want Korra, not like I want you. I need you to believe that, please, just… just try and believe me, even if it’s tough.”

[Genkai]

She had hoped she could have shown her bending at a later time as she had only just started to train, something her own father did not know, nor would approve of. Still, she wished to share something with Mako, tired of hiding who she truly wished to be. Asami sighed once more as Mako tried to reassure Asami that the kiss hadn't been his intention. Either way, his poor judgement had been costly and it was inexcusable. In her mind, she knew she would need to talk to Korra at some point, just as Mako needed to talk to his brother. Mako admitted he found Korra attractive but that feelings for Korra were not like those he had for her.

"I don't care so much that you have find her attractive. That's not a crime, just as it's not for me to find someone other than you, handsome. Being in a relationship doesn't turn off that kind of physical attraction or awareness to it. What I care about is you two being alone when you both are attracted to each other. The kiss was a result of you both having a mutual "thing" for each other. Even if you didn't intend to, that spark still ignited something inside both of you." She said. "I believe my concern for you and Korra is valid considering the both of you kissed even though she knew you were in a relationship and even though you knew she and Bolin were testing the waters. That serious oversight is a major red flag to me..."

Dropping her hands, she took a step back and folded her arms across her chest, looking off. Asami felt very conflicted. Mako had cheated. Even if the intention hadn't been to cheat, it still happened. Mako had stepped forward to admit he was wrong and try and mend the situation. If she broke it off right now she would be justified in doing so. But she would miss Mako terribly. Her mind was telling he to be careful, to not get burned a second time. But her gut and heart were telling her to try one more time, that she and Mako could somehow accept the incident and move on. "It's late, Mako." She sighed.

"I think you should go...tomorrow night at sundown I'll be at the park. We can talk more about where we stand and where to go from here, provided you're honest with Bolin. Please stay safe, goodnight Mako. Asami turned and wiped more tears from her eyes as she retreated up the grand staircase, not wanting to bother to see Mako out, her heart far too tired, her knees far too weak to walk any further. When she got to her room, she collapsed to her knees and buried her hands in her face, her body continuing to shake, having no idea how her world could so suddenly be engulfed by chaos, flipped upside down. She felt betrayed on multiple levels and knew there would be little chance of sleep tonight.

The following day was a slow one. Asami helped her father with his company and in the afternoon she walked around Republic City with some friends, trying to occupy her mind with something other than Mako and the vision of him and Korra kissing. As the sun was beginning to descend over the city by the bay, Asami parted from her friends and walked back to her car. She drove towards the park and parked under the shade of a tree. Sitting there, she took a deep breath and got out, still not entirely sure what she was going to say to Mako. How could she look at Mako and not see Korra too? Her insecurities couldn't be fixed by a simple sentence.

No...

Time was needed. Asami walked into the park and saw many mothers and fathers ushering their children home as it was getting late. Some people were discussing the pro-bending match that was going to start soon and how it would be an intense match. Asami strolled along the curving sidewalk and made her way around the playground toward a white gazebo with a few benches facing it on the grass. The woman walked up the three steps and leaned over the white wooden frame that acted as a railing around the geometric dwelling. In her heart, she knew Mako would come and find her but she had to wonder how Bolin was doing. His heart had been unfortunate collateral damage and she was all the more upset at Korra for being so careless.

- - - -

When Mako came back home, Bolin was already sound asleep. But when morning came, he and Mako talked about last night and what had happened. Bolin was thrilled to hear his intuition about something having happened last night but heartbroken that the incident had been Mako and Korra kissing. Bolin was confused as to why Mako even had feelings for someone he so often complained about. He was also mad that such an event had taken place when Bolin had been trying to 'woo' Korra. Still, Bolin was the kind of guy to carry grudges and explained he still loved his brother and wouldn't let a girl get between them.

Even so, Bolin had been firm in saying Mako's action had been very low and selfish. Even though Mako said he was trying to protect Bolin, he didn't want Mako to continue to protect him like he was a child. Bolin explained further that he wasn't sure where he and Korra even stood but that he would still go meet her at the arena to scope out the competition. The two brothers hugged, knowing this was just one of the challenges they had to get through together. Early afternoon came and Bolin headed off to find some part-time work, still hoping to make some extra cash since most of it had been spent on last night's outing.

Good fortunate had finally smiled upon Bolin as he found he could work part-time at a coffee shop near the arena. He was able to impress the manager by delivering a girl's cup of coffee via a floating bridge of small rocks, the cup effortlessly sliding along towards the customer. The girl clapped at the display and the job was Bolin's. Feeling much better than he had in the morning, Bolin headed over to the arena, wondering how things between him and Korra would be, given how he had left things. He didn't regret the words but he did wish things could have gone better. He also wondered if she would tell him about kissing Mako.

[SoleAccord]

Bolin was testing the waters, not Korra. That had been the only part of Asami’s rant that Mako could argue, but pointing that out wouldn't bring Asami any kind of comfort. To cling on to that one, tiny detail would only show how weak his ground was to stand on, but anyone, even the most delusional of people, could see that he was in the tightest spot a man could be in with his girl. In her hands, Asami had the sole power to end them then and there.

But she didn’t.

It was late, she said, and at the mention of meeting her at the park, and of deciding things there, Mako felt the creeping sensation of dread across his skin slowly begin to retreat and make room for hope to take its place. While it was too soon to celebrate, he had imagined the worst possible scenario in his head. Meeting Asami at the park was perhaps the greatest gift she could have bestowed. It wasn’t a promise, but it was something better than letting what they had go.

Before he could thank her or say anything more to express his gratitude and sincerest of apologies, Asami had brushed by him and his eyes had followed her to the grand staircase, followed by the rest of his body. “Good—“he began only to silence himself partway through. Wishing Asami a good night after all this felt stupid of him to do, even if it was the kindest truth he had to give her this evening. But, as he watched her reach the apex of the staircase and disappear towards her room, he regretted not having the gumption to let her know it.

With a pitiful glance at the ground he finally whispered, “Goodnight,” before promptly leaving.

When he returned home as prepared as he was going to be to confess to his little brother, Mako discovered him sound asleep and didn’t dare wake him up. Knowing Bolin, he’d be difficult to rouse from sleep without the aroma of food to beckon him back to the real world, so Mako settled for waiting until the morning after getting some sleep of his own.

He didn’t sleep well; Korra’s words and his own were on a tedious repeat in the forefront of his mind, and accompanying them was the image of Asami’s eyes glossy and hurt. Despite that lethal combination, he somehow managed to get a decent amount of rest before waking up and preparing breakfast. When Bolin woke up, the same worry he felt before he confessed to Asami had locked arms with him once again for this next discussion. Mako told Bolin, albeit with much more ease than Asami, the truth of last night’s events; how he approached Korra, confronted her about an issue that didn’t exist until he butted in, and gave her the confirmation she needed to act on him.

By no means did he put it on Korra alone. Rather than take that option, Mako was quick in expressing how it was on his shoulders for putting the pair of them in that position, and especially because he knew that Bolin had looked at her with stronger feelings than Korra seemed to understand at the time. No excuses. And Bolin being Bolin had forgiven him, even hugging him when all was said and done. Mako squeezed his brother tightly and thanked him for his forgiveness, wishing his brother well with sorting the Korra situation out on his end.

Eventually Bolin left home to find work, leaving Mako alone to wait for dusk to come with a strong hope that Asami wouldn’t pull the plug on them forever…

~-~-~

Korra didn’t exactly go to bed in the best of spirits, and it was expected to wake up feeling no differently. Bolin’s confusion and disappointment were painful for her to bear witness to. If she were going to be thankful for anything Mako did, it was breaking away from that kiss and walking off. No further banter, guess-giving, assumption-making. Just nothing. Walking away was the smartest thing to do, and it just figured that she was the one who didn’t take that action first. Mako being jealous of her for being happy around Bolin made so much sense at the time. Now, all she was concerned about was if she had not only misinterpreted Bolin taking her out, but also Mako’s goals in approaching her.

‘Maybe he really was just worried about Bolin,’ Korra thought to herself, seated alone in the arena lobby. It was gradually becoming packed as the time of the match drew near, and neither Mako or Bolin had shown up yet. It served her right to do this alone, but a timely glance towards the entrance had given her sight of Bolin just as he entered inside. She couldn’t help but smile, weak as it was. Despite how things ended between them yesterday, there was still comfort in his appearance. Maybe he wasn't too upset with her after all.

“Bolin!” she called out with a wave of her hand, hoping to grab his attention. “Hey, so… just us two?”

[Genkai]

With the match about to begin, it was tough to make his way through the sea of eager bodies, itching to see a fight between two top notch pro bending teams. Bolin spotted Korra but his mind refrained his heart from getting too excited. The past twenty-four hours flashed in front of his eyes...eating noodles together, looking out over the bay, the flowers bought, Mako, leaving Korra feeling like his heart had been torn from his chest against his will. Not to mention he only just found out about the kiss between Mako and Korra. He wasn't really upset about that. After all, Korra could kiss whoever she wanted, though he took offense to it being his brother who already had a girlfriend. He never knew Korra's judgement could be so poor...

Still, he was willing to try and move on.

He and Korra were friends. At least he wanted to be and he hoped his words last night would help push him past this infatuation he had with her, since it seemed to be painfully and embarrassingly one-sided. Making his way toward the Avatar, he gave her a nod. "Uh yep. Mako is meeting up with Asami tonight it seems..." The boy trailed off, not sure if he wanted to clue Korra into the fact he knew about her and Mako. At the same time, it was nice to not bring it up. At least for the time being. Bolin cleared his throat and nudged his head toward the stadium where many chants could be heard. "We better grab some seats before we gotta crash the nose bleeds." He gave her a gentle smirk.

The two headed into the arena and waved to the fans who recognized them before they continued to find their seats. Bolin kept glancing at the girl as they walked, not sure why he felt so disappointed in her. Last night, he had been upset about her dishonesty and now he felt the same feeling rising from within him. It was nearly suffocating him. He didn't think Korra or Mako would have crossed that invisible but very present line between them. He also didn't know they had that much of a connection. Before, Mako always seemed aloof when it came to Korra. While Bolin could forgive his brother, and while he would likely forgive Korra, it didn't change the fact that he felt a bit blindsided.

'I have no right to be jealous...it's not she knew how I felt last night until laid I everything out on the table. I should have said something sooner.' He thought to himself, stuffing his hands into his pockets as they headed up the stairs to their seats. Sitting down, he let out a small sigh and turned his attention to the arena in front of them. He was already planning out their own team's strategy and he had hopes that the Fire Ferrets would make it to the very end and become champs. A true underdog story.

Bolin looked to Korra for a few moments. It seemed silly and nearly impossible but it almost felt as though he couldn't quite recognize her. Something was different about her. Maybe it was how he viewed her. He knew her physical appearance hadn't changed but he could tell something was different about her. About them. "They look pretty evenly matched huh?" He commented, not his usual loud cheering self at other matches. He just wasn't sure if he should talk about last night or not. He didn't really want to. "So uh you get home okay...last night?" The kindness in him did feel a bit bad about not seeing her back to the island or at least the dock. "Any later and Tenzin would have probably made Lin send out some kind search party." He attempted to joke.

[SoleAccord]

The unease of the situation grew not only because of how Bolin parted ways with her, but because the thought of Mako with Asami pained her. How he looked at her after they kissed should have said it all, yet she still had hope that deep down he felt the same attraction for her as she did him. Finding out tonight wasn’t going to happen. They still needed to check out the competition, and Bolin had given her enough on her plate for one evening.

With the uproar of eager fans beginning to funnel into the stadium, Korra nodded at Bolin’s suggestion, though her smile was weaker and wrought with uncertainty. He didn’t speak about last night. This should have been good – maybe he was even over it by now. They could go the entire evening without mentioning it and pretend that nothing happened. One big misunderstanding. No harm done. They were still going to be friends, and they could still hang out when it suited them. It was a comforting thought.

Unfortunately, that didn’t seem realistic.

Greeting some fans who managed to recognize them both had spared her from the worries that hung over her head, but it wasn’t for very long. Every time she managed to get a quick glance at him he appeared the same, lacking only in jokes and casual conversation that were a staple of his. And that, to her, was the most worrisome thing about this situation. Bolin wasn’t his usual self. There wasn’t a wisecrack to be heard, or a broad smile to be seen. Instead they just came to do what they planned to do. It felt professional of them, but also not who they were at their core.

When they managed to find their seats, the distraction of navigating the stadium to get there had given her one less thing to pay attention to. It was just the two of them, more abnormal than she had ever thought possible. From here it seemed like everyone else around them was behaving genuinely. How she wished that she could have joined them. Unlike those that surrounded her, she sat perfectly still and uncomfortably tense. Her hopes that the game would alleviate her worry had failed, too, and she tried desperately to focus with no success.

Bolin tried again to try and bring some familiarity to the situation, as silent was one thing they weren’t used to being. Korra smiled weakly. “Yeah, they’re really going at it.” In truth, she didn’t know what happened in the last five minutes. A strong shudder ran down her spine as he continued. “I got home okay,” she said, voice dry and just barely audible over the cheers of the crowd with the excitable narration of Shiro Shinobi. “I… took my time, just thinking about things. About…”

Her voice left her, replaced by an apologetic glance in his direction. Something had to be done. If Bolin could be as hurt as he was and still manage to try, then it was up to her to try and meet him halfway. It was the least she could do.

“I messed up last night, and I’m really sorry I didn’t clear things up at the time,” she said breathlessly, shuddering again. “Something... Mako showed up, we talked and after that I was just… I can’t really explain it. I think that even if I could, I wouldn’t want to. That’s me trying to be honest, because the truth is… I didn’t quite see your affection for what it was before.” Her gaze broke from his face, finding the caps of her knees and rooting themselves there. It was cathartic to speak her mind, but not by much. “Or maybe I didn’t want to believe it, even when you told me exactly how you felt before we went out. I was a jerk; I… wanted to feel better, and you were there… and that’s just not fair to you. It wasn’t right. But I know how I feel, and I didn’t feel for you like I did…did…”

Mako.

She couldn’t bring herself to say it yet, and yet Bolin had heard more than enough to put the pieces together. Silly as he was, he was far from stupid. How do you take hearing something like that and not become angry? All she could do now was brace for the worst.

[Genkai]

His eyes traveled from the arena, back to Korra as she wrestled with her thoughts. He was glad to hear she made it back okay. Amon and his supporters could be dangerous, even if Korra was the Avatar, they could have caught her off guard. If something had happened to her, he would never have been able to forgive himself. Bolin took a deep breath and began to divert his attention back to the two fighting teams in front of them but Korra spoke up. The earth bender felt tense, as he had been avoiding this talk for as long as possible but it was inevitable. It had to be. They had to talk about things. Pretending they were okay, was not okay.

Even if it was uncomfortable and painful.

Friends didn't just bail or ignore the first sign of trouble.

He could sense her anxiety and it in turn was making his own muscles cramp up. There were new knots forming in his chest as Korra tried to explain what she could, to the best of her ability. Bolin tried to follow her logic though it was disjointed. "I...see." He said with much difficulty when she mentioned not knowing about his affection for her. She glanced down, feeling all the more embarrassed. It wasn't often that Bolin doubted himself, but in that moment, he had to compare himself to Mako and wonder what it was that his brother had, that Bolin didn't. Maybe it wasn't a trait, as much as it was something else.

As Korra continued to push through her words, he listened intently though it felt like he was somewhere else, on some big mountain somewhere, only hearing a faint voice. Even the roar of the crowd around them fell on deaf ears. It was like his whole world had become muted and grey and he had no place he belonged. Nowhere to go. Bolin swallowed. "Yeah, you like Mako. I get it." He said it so simply, so casually even though it punctured his heart. He eyelids were half-open as he glanced off, a slight smile of pain and acceptance gracing his lips. Bolin brought up his arm and rubbed the back of his neck. "I can't hold your feelings against you, Korra...or your lack of feelings, in this case."

"You know, if you had just been honest with me, up front, I would have still taken you out as a friend. It didn't have to be a...date." Bolin told her, his voice slowly returning to him as he finally looked to Korra, his pained smile gone, replaced with an unusual seriousness. "I like you Korra, a lot. But we've only known each other a short time." He considered. "I still want to be friends with you and I'll deal with my own feelings and make sure they don't get in the way of us being friends. I just don't see why you thought you had to get in the middle of Mako and Asami's relationship." He thought aloud as he looked back to the match in front of them as there was a break for both teams to get some water and catch their breath.

"You had no right to kiss him. It's fine if you don't like me but Mako and Asami are together and you have to respect their decision. If Mako had any feelings toward you, they don't matter when he's with Asami. I've tagged along on some of their dates, don't judge me I was hungry, and they make each other really happy. I know it hurts to watch someone you think you like, like someone else." He slowed down to collect his remaining thoughts. "I just think after all Asami has done for you-for us, you would have treated her better. And I thought as friends, you owed me some honesty in not wanting to go on a date, instead of leading me on. Maybe I should have been more open about what I thought last night was but I thought your signals spoke for themselves. But I was wrong."

Bolin didn't have much else to say on the matter. "Do you regret kissing Mako?" He couldn't help but ask her quietly. He didn't think she did but he was curious to see where her thoughts were. Did she think it was a mistake or did she still think that kiss was the right thing to do?

[SoleAccord]

Hearing Bolin’s understanding of the situation brought little comfort, but it was a step up from feeling nothing but apprehension when they first made their way here. He continued by expressing that he didn’t wish to hold any of this against her. Relieved, she could finally manage to offer him a smile of thanks, but he wasn’t stopping just by understanding her position. The earth bender continued, and the further he went the tighter her chest became. Soon her smile ceased to exist, replaced only by a firm stare that grew harder by the second. Finally, it touched on the real problem he had. Not just her feelings on Mako, but the relationship she didn’t care for before.

Korra gripped her knees tightly as Bolin finished saying what he had to. It left her agitated, and a little sad on top of it. Hurting Asami’s feelings was never her intention when she kissed Mako, but she knew how it must look to someone else on the sidelines of what they did that night. Then there was the matter of Bolin feeling like he was played. On top of it all, he had the nerve to ask her if there was a shred of regret when she kissed Mako. The tension in her body couldn’t have been any more apparent to him, but for the sake of not drawing any more attention to them she kept her composure as much as she could, took a shaky breath, and tried to deal with his rant all at once.

“It’s not really any of your business, but… no, I don’t regret making my move. If you want to jump down my throat about kissing him, then fine, but I wasn’t even thinking about him while you and I were out. He came to me. He wanted to see me. What does that tell you?” Her voice remained low to not draw attention to themselves, but it was hard to conceal how irate she was becoming after all the blame he gave her. A hard frown and a piercing stare were given to him in response. “I’ll tell you: Mako likes me, and I bet he regrets picking Asami over me. Why else would he be jealous that you and I spent time together? He just feels guilty, and I get it, he knew he had Asami to worry about. But if he really cared about her then he wouldn’t have come to me at all. But he did. And I met him halfway and made my move. You can’t sit there and be disappointed that I took some action. It worked for Pema!”

The conversation she had with Tenzin’s wife prior to all of this had taught her the value of being bold. Asami couldn’t have been the right girl for Mako. In her heart, she knew that there was something between them, something Mako was trying to deny. He wanted excitement, not comfort or riches to tide him over. As much as she was grateful to Asami for everything she had done for them, it was difficult to imagine Asami making anyone truly happy by just being wealthy and, admittedly, beautiful. Mako clearly wasn’t satisfied with that alone.

“And you think I was playing with you about going out? I went with you because I wanted to have a great time, and we were! But the difference between you and me, and Mako and I, is that I can return his feelings for me. With you… I just…” Taking another shaky breath, Korra’s gaze left him to take interest on her knees. “You’re just a good friend. At least I thought you were. I’m not going to be one of your groupies to hang onto your arm, and I’m not going to sit here and let you make me feel terrible for how I feel about Mako. If Asami was right for him, then he wouldn’t have come for me instead. That’s that. End of story.”

Sparing him one last glance from the corner of her eyes, she closed them and stood up. “Just forget it, Bolin. Goodnight.” She made for the aisle opposite of the earth bender and began to ascend the staircase, hoping to leave this all behind her.

[Genkai]

The air between them tightened and tensed, almost thinning in a way that made it difficult to breathe. Bolin, not being one for a lot of conflict or animosity, found his own patience being tested as he listened to Korra defend her actions. She didn't regret what she did, even if it was morally questionable. He was rather torn in regards to her actions and her adamant stance in doing what she thought was right. A small part of him admired her guts as she acted on impulse, something he never did. But ultimately he was disgusted by her selfish and narrow-minded behavior, her inability to think of the consequences to her actions. She was clearly not the woman he had admired and it was all the more clear that she thought so little of him to voice her distaste for refusing to be a so-call groupie of his. He never once wanted her to be some groupie and was insulted she would insult him when she was the one wrecking relationships she had no business passing judgement on.

Bolin's heated glare followed her as he remained silent, watching Korra get up to go.

As an earth bender Bolin prided himself on being level-headed and able to withstand attacks in both the physical and verbal sense but he had heard enough of Korra's childish whining, as if she was somehow both a victim and a hero. "I am not going to forget it Korra!" He got up after her, trying to slow down his thoughts so he could sort through them. The boy moved after her, not in a heated rush but in an attempt to wade through the crowd. He gazed up at her, his heart having splintered and then shattered as his image of Korra had been completely destroyed. "You don't know me at all if you think I'm upset because you don't want to hang off my arm!" He scoffed.

By now the people around them had turned from the pro-bending match to watch two-thirds of the Fire Ferrets getting into a fight of their own. "I have been nothing but supportive of you and for you to question my friendship is a goddamn insult. I don't care that you like my brother, I can't change how you feel but honestly right now, any attraction I had to you is gone. You're not the girl I thought you were. I thought you were someone responsible and though you can be impulsive, I always valued that your heart and intentions were always good. But the fact you would selfishly act without concern for Asami is disgraceful. You have no right to judge his relationship with Asami. Are you that self-centered and arrogant that you think he went to see you so he would cheat on Asami?"

Bolin paused for a moment to collect his breath, his chest tightening as he found himself all the more upset and disappointed in Korra. "If you had any respect for Mako or Asami you would have thought before you acted. You have no idea how Mako and Asami feel about each other but the only thing you seem to care about is yourself. If you cared about Mako you would have talked to him instead of kissed him. And if you cared about Asami you wouldn't have even thought about kissing her boyfriend. Who cares if you think they're not right together? What makes you some expert on love all of a sudden? You can't even air bend. Maybe you should focus on that instead of shoving your tongue down the throat of someone who already has a girlfriend. A girlfriend I might add, who has been nothing but generous to you!"

It seemed the arena fell silent as the massive collection of spectators were focused on Bolin and Korra. The broadcaster in his booth was now commenting on the argument as opposed to the match, which had at this point, stopped for the sake of the two on the stairs. "You don't know me or Asami and you certainty don't know Mako. He told me he regrets the kiss ever happened and right now he and Asami are trying to fix the mess you caused." By now the anger had fallen from his words as he looked to Korra feeling almost sorry for how delusional she was and how foolish he had been to think she was this special girl who he had connected with. Just as he was about to voice his desire that they no longer remain friends, there was a loud crash from the ceiling.

The arena filled with smoke and Bolin coughed and turned to the platform in the middle of the venue. Many of those in the crowd rushed up to the exits and barricaded them shut. Bolin looked and saw a large metal cable descend and saw Amon holding onto it as it lowered him onto the pro-bending platform. "Amon!" Channeling his anger, he used nearby slabs of rock used during matches to create a pathway towards Amon. Before he could reach the sinister man, one of his henchmen had swung down on another cable and distracted him with hand-to-hand as Amon addressed the fearful crowd.

"Pro-bending may be a beloved sport of Republic City but it illustrates the cruel divide between benders and non-benders. I am here tonight to even the scales. Bending is a privilege abused. Why should those without bending be forced to sit on the sidelines and cheer for those who pride themselves on being better than everyone else? This city reeks of arrogance and I will bring justice to the people who deserve it. Avatar Korra, your presence here is most opportune. I will make an example of you right here in front of everyone." Amon promised.

[SoleAccord]

All Korra’s hopes of departure were dashed with Bolin’s bold refusal.

She had barely gone up five steps before he began to snap at her, prompting her to stop mid-step. She kept still with her eyes forward as he attracted the attention of the nearby spectators. The hot flush of embarrassment at the sudden attention was felt dancing across her skin, but she didn’t bother responding, nor did she continue walking. If this was going to be how Bolin wanted to handle their dilemma, she would let him make that choice, and she would make the choice of not being a part of this argument. Proportions now blown, all that was left for her to do was grit her teeth and bear the brunt of pain his anger had brought her.

Bolin was supportive of her until now, something she was never going to deny him. He went on, saying she changed, that she wasn’t the girl he thought she was, that she was selfish, self-centered, arrogant, and probably much more awful things. Not only did he see fit to cut her down publicly, but Bolin also felt it sensible that the situation among the Fire Ferrets be made known, loud and clear. What happened between Mako and herself was no one’s business. Bolin felt differently.

Korra turned sharply and glared at him through teary eyes, holding herself back from spitting the same venom he did. Her hands were clenched so tightly that they grew numb; she trembled where she stood, bit back from retorting, and endured every blow Bolin gave her.

He was wrong. She cared about Mako and Asami both, but Mako did come to her that night when he could be anywhere else at the time, like with the girlfriend he supposedly loved so much. Somewhere inside she knew that Mako felt something for her, something that Asami didn’t have or couldn’t quite give him. It was Bolin who couldn’t see the situation for what it was, and it took every ounce of willpower she had not to give him the pleasure of seeing her argue with him again. Since he chose to be the one to lash out, he should do it alone. She would take comfort in the truth.

His final piece was the one she did not prepare for. The very moment he spoke of Mako’s regret and trying to work things out with Asami, her rage melted into shock and confusion. Her wet eyes peered searchingly into Bolin’s to trace for a lie, yet no sign of it was found. He stood firm behind the words he spoke, and in any other situation she would find no reason to think of him as a liar. But this was different – it was about her happiness, something he wanted to take away from her. Because he was hurt, he wanted to hurt her back. That was the only explanation that made sense to her now.

“You’re lying,” she said shakily, managing a faux smile of confidence. “Mako’s just—“

An explosion from the arena ceiling cut everything between them short. Simultaneously, several things occurred: Black cables descended from the dark smoke of the crumbling ceiling, followed by a few canisters that hit the arena center and engulfed it in white smoke. The bystanders of the arena, fearing what was coming, scrambled for all available exits only to discover that they were now barred shut. Several men and women across the bleachers stood calmly and proceeded to stand closely to the arena, waiting for a sign of some kind. Lastly, the announcer for the game had been heard yelping from up high; she could just barely make out the silhouette of a masked figure with an electrified glove standing in place of the unconscious Shiro Shinobi, donning a familiar uniform and mask.

Equalists.

Looking down at the dissipating smoke, Korra could make out several men. At the very center was their leader and the source of all her most recent fears since their very brief encounter on Aang Memorial Island: Amon. He was backed by a handful of men, some of which held one of the teams – the Wolfbats – hostage, electrified gloves gripping their uncovered heads. The fear of what was happening and what would happen to them was plain in their eyes. She knew Tahno and his team as a gang of arrogant jerks, but no one deserved what Amon was prepared to do to them.

Before she could try and formulate a plan with Bolin, he raised a platform of earth from the splintered material that fell from the crumbling ceiling and charged ahead. He was fearless in his efforts to confront Amon, but his escort proved more than enough to handle him. It had only taken one enemy to gain his attention. Another of many had slipped down the dark cables above, throwing two metallic discs at Bolin the moment he set his feet on the ground. Two braided cables freed themselves from the discs and wrapped around Bolin’s ankles and his arms, securing his limbs in place and emitting an electric current that brought his rampage to a swift halt.

In a single minute, everything had changed. Now she was one of many, fearful of what was to come next. Amon’s introduction came after Bolin was subdued, and then every eye within the stadium fell to her still, awestruck form.

Could she really do this? Korra wondered, the only sound in the arena now was the beating of her own heart. She swallowed hard and considered what few options were left to her. There was no escaping Amon this time. And as much as he hurt her, she wouldn’t—no, she couldn’t leave Bolin to face Amon’s wrath. Everywhere she looked were eyes brimming with fear, and a select few with hope. Everyone was counting on her, counting on the Avatar, to end this threat and to set things right.

There was no other option but to fight.

“Is something the matter, Avatar Korra?” Amon asked, his booming voice echoing around the arena. “Do you intend to flee?”

Wiping away what stray tears remained within her eyes, Korra straightened her posture and descended the staircase towards the platform Bolin created. “No,” she replied firmly. Even though she feared him, no one could see her frightened at a time like this. “Are your followers joining in this time, or do you actually plan to fight me yourself?”

“You speak as if that makes the outcome any different.” Amon watched her carefully. Once she stepped foot on the arena floor, he casually waved his hand back, prompting the Equalist group to take their hostages and step away towards the edge of the arena. Bolin unwillingly joined them, dragged by his feet. With enough space to move, Amon began to pace and flex his knuckles. Several sharp pops could be heard. “I told you before that you would be the last bender I destroy to bring about my new era. But I’ve had a change of heart.” He stopped and rolled his neck, causing several pops to be heard once again. “You’re tenacious. And that tenacity is going to be problematic. You’re going to learn your place right here and now.”

His confidence was unshakable, and Korra was certain that his strength could back up his words with ease. She was nervous, and that was something she could admit to herself. Her whole body shook as sweat built on the surface of her bare skin. Even with three elements at her disposal to Amon’s none, she didn’t feel strong. Amon’s confidence wasn’t her own. She was unprepared for him and she knew it. Despite these facts, Korra bent her knees and prepared herself for the fight that would determine the fate of benders everywhere.

“You’re shaking,” Amon pointed out. “Are you frightened, Korra?”

“…No,” she lied quietly. “This won’t be like last time, Amon.”

“I agree. This is going to be much worse than before.”

Korra unleashed a stream of flame from her right fist, accompanied by a cry that deafened all who watched on…

~-~-~

Mako had run over a dozen conversations in his head prior to arriving in the park with a single rose wrapped in hand, and none of the outcomes made him feel any more hopeful about how this chat was going to begin. For most of the day he paced at home and scolded himself for everything that led to this moment. If he just minded his own business and left Bolin to experience Korra himself, then he could be at home with Asami right now, cozy by the fireplace, or maybe just a walk through the very park where he stood now. Anything was better than the anxiety that choked him by the neck. He checked his breath out of habit a multitude of times, debated on combing his hair, and thought about dressing up prim and proper for her before getting here.

Thankfully, he had come to his senses. Looking better didn’t change how she felt about him, but it was the only distraction he had from her teary eyes that he still saw when he closed his own. The pit in his stomach felt endless. He could hardly eat throughout the day. Getting sleep didn’t work much better. All he did was wait until the sun began falling to make his move, only being reminded of the things he could be doing with her now. Watching this sunset with her hand in his was just one of many outcomes he’d prefer on a list of intimate moments. He’d even throw fighting Equalists with her on that list. Anything was better than feeling hopeless.

But in his self-made depression, he knew that Asami felt far worse. Now a decision had to be made, one that determined the fate of their relationship as they knew it.

Asami was a jewel in a sea of sand. Because of that, it didn’t take long to find her resting against her vehicle. Mako made his approach with his arms behind his back, concealing the rose. “Hey, Asami!” He called out to her with a smile. “Sorry if I kept you too long. Sundown isn’t much of an… indicator… of time…so, you know… didn’t really know what the time was.”

‘Great start, Mako. Great start...’

“I bought you something,” he said, bringing the rose forward, wrapped in simple white paper. Despite its lack of friends, it still bloomed strong and stood out, much like Asami always did to him. “I know it doesn’t make up for everything I did recently. They had another rose there – sapphire, I think the guy said – but I didn’t have the money for something like that. I always thought red was more your color anyway, s-so… for you. Here.”

[Genkai]

As he found himself suddenly bound, he fell to his knees as his body settled into a heap on the arena. His limbs twitched as he tried to break free, knowing he had to help Korra. Somehow. Moments ago he and Korra had been in a heated argument. While he had stood by most of what he said to her, he knew some of his words had been sorely out of line. Bolin was disgusted that he had let his own personal anger get in the way of helping Korra, someone who was precious to him. While he wasn't sure where he and Korra would go from this point on, he knew he had to get to her side to help her. Current personal feelings aside, he had to do something. He wouldn't let her face Amon alone. With his arms and legs bound, he wiggled slightly as he tried to earth bend something, anything but it seemed futile.

A light grunt left his lips as he looked over his shoulder to see Korra crossing the pathway he had crafted. His gaze turned back ahead of him to where Amon was with the other pro-benders. Fear was threatening to seize Bolin's very core. It was as though a heavy chill had fallen over his body. Breathing became harder as he tried to push away the words he and Korra slung at one another. Now they were stuck in this battle, so much was at stake and he was unable to help her. Bolin groaned as he finally pushed himself to his knees. His entire being wanted to tell Korra to flee, to get out while she could, that saving face wasn't nearly as important as saving her life, that the world needed the Avatar and now wasn't the time to play Amon's game.

But no words came.

He was frozen.

He was pulled up to his feet as he was pulled towards the other hostages. He flailed his legs but they did little to stop what was happening. "Korra!" He called out, trying to find some sort of optimism to spur her on. Usually he was a fountain of confidence but he too was feeling the pressure. He couldn't fathom what Korra was feeling. It had to be ten times worse than what was torturing him. There was so many things he needed to say to her but now was not the time. She had to be ready for one hell of a fight. "You can do it Korra, you have more to fight for than he does!" Amon wanted to extinguish Korra and the hope she provided many people, including him. Despite having disagreements about her motives and their personal feelings for one another, he knew the greatness she was capable of.

Withering against the metal restraints, he could feel the metal bending slightly but not nearly enough to allow the earth bender to break free. 'I gotta learn to bend metal, damnit!' He thought angrily to himself. When Korra aimed a fiery punch toward Amon, the heat could be felt from where Bolin and the others were positioned. His heart raced as he watched Korra and Amon begin their duel. Bolin clenched his jaw as he felt his nails dig into his palms, almost deep enough to draw blood. He felt so useless and knew because of him her mind was probably not in the best of places. "I believe in you Korra, so does everyone here!" He exclaimed, not wanting her to feel alone. She had to know that he would do anything he could to help her as he went back to trying to somehow manipulate the metal binds, every fiber of his being needing to join Korra, needing to fight alongside her.

- - - -

As the dark haired woman observed those at the park, she continued to reflect upon her friendship with Korra. Asami had thought they were friends but now she really wasn't sure Korra held her in the same regard. 'Friends don't kiss their friend's boyfriend.' She thought. In her mind it was such an obvious conclusion to come to but since Korra had done that, Asami was left to consider that she and Korra were not friends. 'If she was my friend and had genuine concerns about my relationship with Mako she should have talked to me. Korra's actions were selfish and I don't think I want to see her for a while.' While she knew the blame didn't fall entirely on Korra's shoulders, Asami took great offense to Korra's impulsive behavior and had to eventually confront the girl.

For now Asami wished to focus on her and Mako.

Asami stood up and walked out of the gazebo and made her way back toward her car. While she was repulsed by Mako and Korra's betrayal, she did not wish to just cast Mako aside and try to move on with her life. While that would be the sensible thing to do, her heart was incapable of simply moving on. The memories she and Mako created continued to resurface to the top of her mind as she finally reached her car. Ever since Mako broke the news to her, a dull ache began to torment her heart. Asami knew that pain would linger for a while as she learned to trust Mako slowly. But still, when she heard Mako's voice call out to her, the pain went away for a moment. Worry and doubt lessened as she turned to Mako. "Mako..." While he seemed happy to see her, the same joy was more difficult to summon as her mind once again thought back to him and Korra together.

While he had been correct in noting their meeting time hadn't been very precises, they had managed to find one another well enough. When Mako presented her with the red rose, a smile finally found its way back to her polished crimson lips. "Thank you, Mako. This is very thoughtful of you." She took the offered rose from him. She studied the flower before she leaned back against her car, her hips settled against the sleek exterior. She let out a heavy sigh, knowing they would need to discuss their relationship. "So you spoke to Bolin?" She asked him. Before she and Mako had parted ways last night, she had asked him to tell Bolin the truth as he had a right to know if he had personal interest in Korra.

"I didn't sleep very well last night." She mentioned as she pressed her fingers together and spun the rose around between them. First counterclockwise and then clockwise. "I don't know how to move forward from where we are...I want us to stay together and make this work but...it's not going to be easy." She told Mako, raising her head to look to him. "I never had doubts when it came to your friendship with Korra but now I have them and they won't stop haunting me. I want to trust you both but right now it's gone. It's going to take a while before I feel comfortable again. When you're training with Korra I'm going to worry. When the Fire Ferrets go out to celebrate after a match, I'm going to worry. I wish I didn't have to but I'm going to worry, I wish there wasn't a reason because believe me, I was never worried before last night. I trusted you completely."

"I don't want to give you conditions like not being alone with Korra. I want you two to remain friends, I think you're good for one another but you need to understand I won't feel comfortable for a while and it'll take time for us to get back to where we were. But I do care about you and I would like us to find a way past this somehow." Asami knew time would be the best healer and she was fairly certain Mako understood her need to be cautious. Reaching over, she placed her right hand over his left, squeezing it lightly. "I think it's only fair the one who broke my heart should be the one to help put it back together." She smiled lightly. She wanted to try, unwilling to walk away. Even though she was hurting, she knew Mako was hurting too and that someday they would both be able to overcome this moment of hardship.