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pastel-peach-writes · 5 months

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Hello!! I love your Korra X readers so I’m just gonna ask if you could do a Korra x Fem!reader (or GN up to you!) with the cliche plot of Reader being injured and not telling anyone until later? Hope you are doing well!!

YURR lets go. I initially wrote this as a fem!reader, but I didn't even use the reader's pronouns in this so, gender neutral reader it is!

Kiss It Better | Korra x Beifong!Reader

╰┈➤ PLOT: With your girlfriend saving the world all the time, you take it as your job to not worry her with your own problems. If you needed help with something, you'd figure it out or get someone else's help. What happens when your "selflessness" nearly costs you an arm?

╰┈➤ WARNING: Injured!Reader, Suggestive Mentions, Cursing, Not Proofread, Beifong!Reader

⍣ ೋ Enjoy!⍣ ೋ

It was a simple fracture. You were training with Bolin and a cluster of Earth hit you too hard in the arm. Bolin apologized and even offered to take you to the infirmary, but you rejected him.

One, you were a Beifong; you don't get hurt. Two, if you go to the infirmary, chances are you'll get a cast or some sort of sling. That'll worry your girlfriend, the Avatar, and with all the duties she had to attend to, your fractured arm was the least of her worries.

"Oh, fuck," you hissed, leaning back into your plush sofa. Typically, the plush cushions and fuzzy fabric would comfort you. The cushions would allow your muscles to relax and for your body to find comfort in the warm snuggles of your girlfriend's blanket. But now, the cushions only make your body hurt worse.

There was no support in the cushions. The plushiness was too plushy and the warm comfort typically found within the blanket was annoying.

"I'm home!" Korra announced. The woman kicked off her boots, put up her short hair, and plopped beside you on the couch.

You groaned, holding your bicep.

Korra tilted her head, raising a brow. "Hey, you okay? Was I too loud or something?"

Time slowed as you forced a laugh out of your chest. If you laughed too hard, your arm would ache. If you didn't laugh enough, Korra would assume something was wrong.

Nothing was wrong. At least, to her knowledge.

"Oh, sorry!" you smiled at her, "I was actually practicing this new joke Mako taught me. I was supposed to make this sound, but I guess I haven't mastered it yet."

"Oh... haha," Korra forced out of her. "No more taking joke suggestions from Mako. He doesn't have a funny bone in his body." The Avatar nestled her head on your chest. She hummed, snuggling into the warmth of your body.

"Right," you chewed on your lip. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"One, hit! Two, hit! Three--!"

"Okay!" you howled. You and Bolin have been training for three hours straight now. Something must've inspired Bolin because he's been sending over disks, boulders, and other forms of Earth toward you like there was no tomorrow. While he was losing pounds by sweating alone, your arm was screaming at you.

"Please stop moving me!" "I'm hurt!" "Why do you hate us?!"

You wished you could listen to your body. You really did. But you read somewhere that certain fractures can heal on their own with the proper rest and care.

You thought you could take it easy in training today, but obviously, Bolin had other plans.

"Oh," Bolin smiled, peeling himself away from his boxed stance. "Did I go too far? Sorry. Opal said something last night about guys working out and how she loved watching me train sometimes, so I wanted to work extra hard this practice so I wouldn't feel bad for showing off."

Your chest heaved up and down as the boy spoke. The fire in your arm was excruciating and it was spreading to your shoulders.

You trudged along the training center, going to a lousy bench where your water bottle and workout towel lay. "No, no," you told Bolin, "it's okay. I just need a break. That's all."

Lowering yourself onto the bench, your muscles and all the meat on your body felt like falling off the bone like you were a tenderly cooked piece of chicken. Your thighs ached and shook, like after an endless night with Korra. You took your towel and slung it over your good arm. You carefully opened your water bottle to take a sip.

Bolin followed after, mindlessly yapping about Opal and how pretty she was. Once he sat himself next to you and drank from his water, his eyes bulged out of his head, and water sprayed from his mouth.,

You whipped your head toward him, perplexed. "Oh, my Spirits! What was that?"

"What happened to your arm?" the boy exclaimed. He pointed at the swollen and bruised skin. Your rotator cuff was a deep purple with blue specs. He couldn't see it, but the bruising gave a pulsing sensation.

You scoffed and went for another sip of water. "Nothing. Just bumped into a pole."

"What kind of pole hit you like that?" he exclaimed again, now out of his seat. His green eyes were now filled with fear; his body trembled with worry.

You tried to shrug, but since your hurt arm was alarmingly tough and sore, only your good arm moved. "I don't know," you mumbled. "It was a while ago, I think. I can't really remember."

"Well, you have to at least let a nurse or someone qualified check you out! This looks bad, Beifong. No pole could've done this."

"Bolin," you rose to your feet. "I'm fine. Don't make me say it again." You didn't let Bolin get another word in as you gathered your things. "And Bolin, don't mention this to anyone."

Bolin can't keep a secret and honestly, it's your fault for telling him to keep one. You're his friend and Bolin doesn't believe in keeping his friends in danger. You need medical attention, even if you are too stubborn to admit it.

Immediately after practice, he ran to Mako who ran to Asami who told Korra.

When she first heard the news, Korra had mixed emotions. She was vexed because she didn't notice your pain and you didn't tell her, yet worried about the extremity of your injury. Could your arm fall off? What if the injury was actually worse underneath?

The Krew discussed your injury and how to intervene in your careless ways of living. There was a plan where they tricked you into going to the hospital, another where they took you out to dinner and would finesse you into spilling your guts, and then there's the plan they actually went through; the plan that made the most sense.

Korra was to go home with a smile on her face, cuddle and kiss on you for a while, and then ease into the conversation of training and injuries.

Mako thought the subtle conversation topic would force you to talk about your injury without actually forcing you.

Well, it's been two fucking hours of medical talk and Korra wasn't getting anywhere.

The two of you were cuddling on your bed, legs entangled with each other and her arms around your waist. She had her head on your good arm and from the corner of her eye, she could see the black and blue bruising that was growing to your neck.

Your pajamas acted as a pathetic way to hide it.

Korra was done playing the nice game. She had Asami in her head telling her to play the nice game and to ease into it. (She also had Mako claiming that Korra was unable to play the "nice-and-ease-into-it" game, but what Mako doesn't know won't kill him).

"Bolin told me," Korra spoke, her eyes fixated on the wall in front of you two.

You hummed, keeping your eyes closed. The ache and burn on your arm weren't as bad anymore. You also read somewhere that heat would inflame the injury more so after a quick lukewarm shower, you iced. You iced and replaced the ice for hours until Korra came home.

You were missing that ice right about now.

"Told you what?"

"That you have a disgusting bruise on your shoulder." Okay, so Bolin didn't describe it as disgusting, but what you don't know won't kill you either.

You snickered. "I ran into a pole, okay? It's not the big of a deal."

"Then why are you lying to me?" Korra pulled herself off of your chest. With delicate fingers, the Avater peeled the soft fabric off your shoulders.

The subtle movement of the fabric made you wince and the natural instinct was to push Korra away, so, you did. You pushed on her stomach to move her away from you. "Korra, don't."

"Oh, what are you gonna do?" she scoffed. Korra sat on her knees, shoulders squared to you and arms crossed over her chest. "Threaten me? You saw how that worked out with Bolin, nice move by the way." Korra's words were stern and leaning towards the angry side of things. Her nose scrunched while her nostrils flared. She was also gripping her arms so hard, her grip made marks.

"I didn't threaten him," you claimed.

"So, what would you call it? Being a bad friend? Telling him to keep your health a secret knowing damn well it's on the line?"

"My health is not on the line!" You've sat up from the bed now. Your bad arm rested on a mound of pillows and your good arm held it for support. "It's a tiny injury, sprain if you wanna go that far."

"That's rich," Korra scoffed. She shook her head, getting off the bed. "You can barely talk to me without the corner of your mouthing ticking from the pain. I can barely put my hands on your shirt and you can barely sit on the couch without groaning in pain."

You suddenly found interest in the ceiling. You took note of the texture and the color. You would find any new fact you could about this ceiling if it meant you could avoid Korra's burning gaze and her rising anger.

This is why you didn't want to tell her in the first place. She's worried about everyone else and for once, you wanted to be someone she doesn't have to worry about. But now she's here, yelling at you because she cares. Because you didn't tell her.

"I didn't want you to worry about me too," you mumbled. Your gaze dropped to the comforter. "You have so much on your plate, I wanted to ease the load. You shouldn't be stressed about me, you're the Avatar. You have more people to worry about."

Watching you struggle to look her in the eye, Korra sat herself on the bed. She put a soft hand on the mound of your knee, using her thumb to soothe the skin. "Hey," she spoke. "I am your girlfriend first and the Avatar second. I will always worry about you. You deserved to be worried about and cared for."

You swallowed thickly. The back of your throat scratched like you had a cold yet your mouth was eager to say something back. Your brain couldn't think of any words to say.

"Your struggles and problems aren't inferior to me. I want you to come to me with your troubles, not because I'm the Avatar, but because I'm your girlfriend. It's my job to care for you, to heal you when you're sick, and to pick you up when you're down. Master of the Elements or not, that's my job and it's yours too," she sighed. "So, please, for the first time, tell me what's wrong and what I can do to help you."

The moment your eyes locked with hers, a flood broke through you. You wept as you told her what was wrong with your arm and how long you've tried to sustain this injury, four days.

Korra could kick herself over and over again for not noticing how much pain you were in, but you were a good pretender. In some way, she had Bolin and Opal to thank. Without Bolin's sudden desire to train extra hard, you wouldn't be forced to stop pretending.

But instead of wallowing in self-pity and throwing a really weird party for the couple in her head, she comforted you. She pulled you to her chest and held you as tightly as she could without hurting you further.

The two of you stayed like that, you in her arms, for a while. You didn't take notice of the time spent in the position. You two focused on each other's breathing and warmth.

And finally, for the first time in a long time, you let Korra take care of you.

WC: 2,071

#pastel-peach-writes #gender-neutral terms #pastel peach writes #gender neutral terms #sapphic #avatar korra #the legend of korra #legend of korra #korra #korra fanfic #korra x y/n #korra x you #korra x reader #beifong!reader #lok x reader #lok fanfic #lok #legend of korra fanfiction #legend of korra fanfic

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hohfics · 3 months

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A Matter of Life and Death - Chapter 9/9 - Korra x Asami

AO3 | Korra x Asami | Rated M | Canon Divergence

The sculpture in Avatar Korra park stood three stories high, fists clenched, her left boot elevated, purveying the skyline, and for the first time, gaze alight. Once jade eyes beaming an ethereal blue from into the Republic City night.

Citizens enjoying the quiet balmy evening found their gazes lifting skyward at Avatar Aang’s statue, on an island a hundred miles away, responded in kind. Eyes blazing, his arrow tattoos had opened and cut bright in the dark. Every likeness, every carving, every soft toy plushie of their beloved former avatar lit up. Ikki almost fell off her father’s bed when she saw that old family photos of smiling Aang flashed with blue streaks, alongside Korra’s pouting wanted poster’s.

At The High Temple in the Fire Nation, sages fell to their knees as the eyes of Roku started to radiate from all the tapestries and effigies.

The ancient oak carving on Kyoshi island beamed brightly, the villagers gawping up at it had a litany of reactions, the most extreme of which involved a man who had an entire body, foaming-at-the-mouth fit of praise.

An air acolyte posted at the Southern Air Temple had much the same reaction when the spiral of idols in the Hall of Avatars started to glow, one by one until finally a tendril of illumination crawled from the base of Wan’s statue, filling the markings of Raava behind him.

In the Spirit World, Korra stood at the bottom of the golden escalator as her past lives stepped forward to embrace her. Aang began the ceremony of reconnection with a thumb to her forehead and heart chakra, but others favoured hand shakes and shoulder touches until, finally, Avatar Wan ran at her full tilt, arms open, grin wide, grey body filling with colour for but a moment as he wrapped his soul around her, and like the others disappeared back into the ether.

Over a hundred lifetimes and thousands of years filled Korra’s periphery, the inundation of knowledge and power percolated through her being and became focused in a single burst of the Avatar state. She lifted from the ground, blue of her eyes almost blindingly white, the spirits drew ever closer, water pulsed for miles around, heat kissed the skin of everyone near and the earth rumbled.

#korrasami #korra x asami #korra #hellorhogwartsfics #in case you missed it #legend of korra #asami #lok #fanfic #a matter of life and death #tlok

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hotpinkrathian · 3 months

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Korra and Asami are like the Kyalin fandom

They heard these ladies interacted once and were like "hell yeah"

They then proceeded to come up with a thousand different ways to get them together

#legend of korra #kyalin #korrasami #atla #lok #korra shenanigans #korraxasami #kya x lin #and you knoe they started plotting #korra wears down lin #Asami convinces kya to just ask #and then Korra is jealous lin and kya get married before her and asami do

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crowentity233 · 11 months

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Don't Tell (part 2)

Mako x Reader (secret relationship)

Part 1 Part 3 Masterlist

Mako x Earthbender reader

You being touch starved for years suddenly have an intense crush on mako after he put himself in danger for you and the safety he provides following the attack. You both keep your relationship under wrap from the krew. You both don't want to deal with everything that follows them finding out.

You woke up in a warm bed. Mako was like a personal heater. He laid on his stomach with his arms folded, laying his head on the pillow that was over his hands. His back was covered by his tank top. You both decided not to take kissing any further. It was an unspoken understanding that one night of realization didn't warrant that kind of celebration, not this early. He wanted to keep you wondering about his body. It was a torturous type of pleasure.

He rolled over and wrapped his strong arms around you. You melted into him. It was one of the best night sleeps you've had. The first night in a long time, having someone hold you while you fell into slumber. Your dreams were etched with happy moments.

Mako woke up to a warm side to the bed that was normally cold and empty. He had taken time away from dating. As his arm healed from the shock of the spirit energy, his mind and heart healed too. He kept a distance but, slowly each joke that you told about the couples, like if they ever came up for air, or if they could get their tongues any deeper down each other's throats, it made him laugh just a little harder each time. When the group would joke that he was your other half when playing games that required pairs, it slowly got more painful as you rolled your eyes and denied it.

He had taken time to reflect on his relationship with asami and korra. He came to terms with the fact that it was the fact that girls never saw him as anything but a street rat, so when he was actually viewed as 'wanted,' he couldn't decide on anyone. He was a people pleaser to an extent that was to his own detriment. It was a foreign thought that someone wanted him, and two people wanting him was an overload to his system. Hurting one over the other was horrific and yet impossible to not do. He had come to an understanding that trying to please too many people would only cause him pain. He had to make decisions and be committed. As committed as he was to protect Bolin when they were kids. He promised himself he wouldn't be the young boy on the dirty street he once was, he was now a man of honor that would find one woman and dedicate himself to her even if it hurt someone else's feelings.

He kept that in his heart as you won it over. Each time, you playfully slapped his arm and smiled sweetly to him. He kept honor in his mind. Each man that Korra or Asami pushed you towards stayed engraved in his mind as a comparison.

Then when you talked about your date. He just 'happened' to take mental note about when and where you were going when you discussed it with the others. He knew the area wasn't safe at night from being an officer and staking out the area regularly at night.

Mako didn't want to stop you, but I just wanted to make sure you were safe, so he kept an eye out on the café just to make sure you were okay. He saw the entire situation unfold unknowingly to you. He notified the other officers when you were being chased.

He made sure to be there to pick up the pieces if anything happened, and when it did, he jumped into action, having your back. He just wanted you happy and safe.

Mako breathed in your scent with his arms around you. It was a reminder that yesterday was not just a dream. You were still here in his arms. He kissed the top of your head. "Good morning."

"Good morning." You buried your face into his chest. The smell of firebenders smoke still evident on him. Your heart fluttered.

The door of Mako's apartment suddenly burst open. "Mako!!! It's time to get up." Bolins voice boomed across the room. Opal was attempting to keep him from bursting into the bedroom.

You hopped up out of the bed and hid behind a shelf. It's just in time for Bolin to come barging in. "Mako, what are you still doing in bed? We have to go get your putt putt, buddy. So we can go play."

"Sorry w-I must have over slept. Hey, why don't we stop at the café we can get those paw print pastries, and you can get a new fire ferret charm for Opal."

"But what about your date?"

"Not my date. I'll surprise her with one. I can ride with you guys, so I'm going to leave my keys to my bike on my nightstand."

"Mako, you're acting weird, but I love surprises. Let's go." You heard bolin say as the door closed, and you waited for the footsteps to be gone before making your way to the parking lot. Makos clothes still draped across you loosely.

You hopped on his bike and raced to your apartment, which surprisingly wasn't far and the opposite direction from the café buying you time. You ran up to your door and quickly got dressed, a simple green long duel split tunic with black tight pants and a belt around your waist.

You hid makos clothes under your pillow and ran to your couch pretending to read like you've been doing it all morning. You hear a knock at the door. You open it and find a pawprint shaped food shoved in your face. Bolin held it happily.

"Isn't it so cute! Look, and Mako got the fire ferret Keychain for you, too."

"Good morning, everyone. Yes, it's adorable, Bolin. Thanks, guys." You grab the food and take a bite.

"So we're going to putt putt first, and then we're going to watch the new mover at the probending stadium." Bolin wrapped an arm around opal and walked back out, leading the group. You walked next to mako, hoping you had hidden mako's bike well enough. No one seemed to notice as you walked past. Opal's bison waited as everyone got on and took off to the putt putt course.

You got situated and watched the people become smaller. "Opal, I'm so jealous. I wish I could have a furry friend to fly me in the air. You're a good boy, Juicy." You pet

the fur that you could reach from where you sat. "He is a good boy. I'm more jealous of you. I could have used earth bending with my family."

"Yeah, your brothers seem like the type that you would need to have bending to survive living with them." You laughed sure of their teasing of the young Opal.

"Yeah, they were brutal for a little bit, but we straightened out." She giggled as Juicy landed at the course.

Bolin and Mako hop off. Opal jumps off Bolin catches her. You smiled happily at the couple. You took Makos' hands as he helped you down. Your hands lingered for just an extra moment while Opal and Bolin were preoccupied with each other. Makos eyes lingered on yours as he pulled his hand away. He searched, still making sure this morning wasn't just a false memory.

Your lips were sealed in the presence of the others, but your eyes spoke clearly. Your gaze dropped down to his lips, then back to his eyes. He smirked, knowing that you remembered the way his lips melted into yours just the night before.

"Are you two ready?" Bolin turned, and you two quickly turned away from each other.

You stared at your nails. "Just waiting for you two to get done playing tounge tennis. Who won the match... never mind, I don't want to know." You laughed, walking towards the entrance. Mako followed you, chuckling.

"We didn't even kiss this time." Bolin said.

Opal giggled. "Someone needs a boyfriend. Speaking of, I take it your date didn't go well?"

"No. A bunch of gang members showed up, and he ditched me to fight them on my own. I dont need a man to fight for me, but it would have been nice to have some backup."

"What a gentleman..." opal trailed sarcastically.

"Are you okay?" Bolin asked freaking out. He knew what the gangs were capable of.

"I'm fine. I got away." You smiled thinking about the other parts to the story you left out.

"Mako, you would've stayed to fight them off." Opal smirked, baiting you for a reaction.

"I don't need him too." You spoke simply and not like you were offended by the thought of her pushing mako into you romantically.

Opals eyebrows knitted together, not getting the expected over the top heated reaction but brushed it off.

You grabbed your golf club, and Mako grabbed his. His fingertips trailed your back as the couple grabbed theirs. You blushed as his hand gripped at your hip. He pulled his hand back as Bolin paid for the round of golf.

Mako rolled his eyes playfully, landing his eyes at you. He smirked, knowing you were enjoying the secret that you shared only with him. His eyes lifted back to the couple as they led the way to the first hole.

"Alright, the first hole is here." Bolin dropped his ball on the tee and got ready to hit. He hit the ball a little hard, but it came back and landed in the hole. Opal put hers down next and hit the ball perfectly in.

You bent down, placing your ball down on the tee. You lifted back up and hit the ball. You were a little gentle but made it.

Mako lifted his brow and lips into a smirk as you lifted back up from retrieving your ball. He could tell already you were purposely teasing him as you flicked your hair back up from your bent position, making sure to catch his eye.

The other couple was standing and looking over the next hole strategizing together. the first hole was always the easiest, so strategies were needed from here on out.

You watched as Mako hit the ball perfectly. His fingers touched his lips. He held his hand out to you, teasing you with a wink after making sure the others were still distracted.

Your back was to the pair, so they couldn't see your reaction. You giggled, silencing it with your hand cupping it over your mouth.

The group completed the holes and got to the last hole. You and Mako had been very safe but playful the entire time, never being noticed. Opal was about to hit. She lined up her shot and took it. If she hit perfectly, she would win. If she hit more than twice, then it would be up to Mako to win. She took the shot. It was perfect she had hit a hole in one. She cheered. Bolin caught her and spun her around.

You took your shot and made it in a few hits. Mako made it in two swings.

"Alright, love birds, I hate to interrupt, but what's next?" You laughed at the two.

"Well, I figured you wouldn't mind if I took Opal to go get some things for the mover tonight. We can meet at the front of the stadium."

"That sounds good to me. I need to go back home and change my clothes for the mover. I don't think this really suits the night." You nodded to the pair you returned your club and walked to the sidewalk at the other side of the building, waiting, hidden from the group.

Mako slowly returned his club and kept a slow pace to make sure they had left his view as they walked in the opposite direction. You grabbed Mako's arm as he passed by. You pulled him to lean his hands on the wall, standing in front of you. You lifted your chin, looking up at him. He was so close to you. One of his hands grabbed your waist as the top of your back leaned on the wall.

"Soo?" He asked.

"Thrilling." You spoke softly and leaned up to his lips. "We should have been doing this all along."

Mako smirked, kissing you quickly. He straightens back up and starts walking away. "I have to go to the station, but I'll see you tonight."

"Okay, I'll see you tonight." You ran up to him, stealing one more kiss, then turning the other direction towards your apartment.

Tag list:

Feel free to ask to be tagged. Comment, message, or wherever you'd like to ask. ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

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thatonebirdwrites · 8 months

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Invention Fail

Korra: *throws a ball for Naga with a burst of airbending. Naga chases after it eagerly* Korra: I wonder where Asami is? *A crash comes from the side of the mansion, and a wall blows outward in a blast of electricity*

Korra: *ducks* WOAH. *Runs toward it* ASAMI! *Asami staggers out with her hair frizzed, and her hands on her hips.* Asami: Dammit, I thought I had it this time. Korra: *crashes into her* What happened? Are you okay? Hold on, let me get some water... Asami: *turns and kisses Korra on the cheek* I'm fine, Korra. I... simply miscalculated, that's all. *sighs* Will have to rerun the equations and account for... that unfortunate side effect. Korra: Wait, wait. Math causes explosions? *eyes widen* woah, maybe I should learn math after all.

#korrasami #legend of korra #avatar korra #asami sato #korra #tlok #asami #the legend of korra #korra x asami #Asami is low-key obsessed with electricity #Asami may never admit it out loud but she secretly enjoys thrilling things like explosions or crashing planes #Why do you think Asami crashed two planes for Tonraq in Book 2? She can't help the THRILL of the adventure #Korra can't help but jump into healing mode when things explode #Indeed Math can cause explosions but its relatively rare #lok incorrect quotes

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makoxxlip · 8 months

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bisexuals i'm giving y'all a new definition 🥸☝🏽

#what do you think?#they're hot #especially together #THEE power couple #lok #the legend of korra #korra #mako #avatar #makorra #makorra 2.0 #tlok #avatar korra #mako x korra #bisexual #lok meme #tlok mako #legend of korra

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pastel-peach-writes · 16 days

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Jealous or Attracted? | KorrAsami x Reader Headcanons

╰┈➤ PLOT: Headcanons of you figuring out your feelings for KorrAsami.

╰┈➤ WARNINGS: No Use of Y/n, Cursing, Not Proofread, Second POV, Lowercase Intended

⍣ ೋ Enjoy!⍣ ೋ

(A/N): Requests are open for KorrAsami x Readers! Just check out my request rules before submitting! Request Rules!

– when you first met KorrAsami, they were dating each other.

– you already knew of Korra with her being the Avatar and everything and for Asami, you knew of her but only because of the drama that went down with her dad and Future Industries.

– you can't exactly remember how you met them, but you vaguely remember a party and Bolin, your closest friend, dragging you to it and insisting that you meet the rest of the Krew.

– Also, the fact that they call each other the "Krew" was so cute to you, you wanted in.

– and so there you saw Korra and Asami dressed in their best party wear, holding glasses of colored clear liquid and giggling with each other.

– At first, your stomach fizzed with butterflies but you assumed that was your jitters

– you didn't think the butterflies was because the two of them looked good enough to make your knees shake or your face burn. no, not at all!

– why would it anyways? You couldn't be attracted to a couple. that's weird. Like licking a flagpole and drinking a smoothie made of grass and boiled egg yolks. That's weird.

– and you weren't weird. (or at least not that weird).

– anyways, as the party went on, you got to know the two more.

– you got to know that Korra's a bit goofy and playful, that she isn't always the stubborn and hotheaded Avatar everyone knows her to be and you also figured out that Asami made her very shy, very easily.

– with how she acted towards the general public and threats, you thought Korra would be the one to make her significant other shy with flirts and cocky sentences, but it turns out that Asami was the one to. and she wasn't even flirting.

– Asami would give one smile and quip to Korra and the Avatar would melt like ice cream on a hot summer's day. It was cute, honestly but also made you ick on the inside.

– you didn't know why. you had nothing against the two and PDA, but seeing them flirt with each other gave you a certain pang in your chest.

– after the party's events, you found yourself getting closer and closer to the "Krew".

– you weren't close enough to consider yourself a part of Team Avatar but enough to be considered Team Avatar's friend.

– when you hung out with the Krew, you would linger around KorrAsami. Wherever they went, you went.

– Bolin teased you about this, naturally, being your best friend and all, but you denied the allegations he tried to make. --

"You have a crush on them!" "Please, I do not. I'm hanging out with them because i want to get to know them more. That's all."

"But you even laugh at their jokes. You never laugh at Mako's and I's."

"That's because you and Mako aren't funny."

"And Korra and Asami are?"

"Precisely." --

– And it was true. You didn't have a crush on them and they were funny.

– Korra and Asami have this type of humor that's unique to them. They feed off of each other and often make snarky remarks about inside jokes or shared experiences. Being a part of that was an accomplishment in its own.

– something would happen when you guys were out and about and you would share the same look.

– the only times the jokes got "bad" was when someone made the other laugh a bit louder than usual.

– like one time Korra made Asami laugh so loud and hard that she cried with a red face.

– the feeling that stirred in your stomach wasn't pretty. it was like whatever you had for lunch curdled and violently punched you in the gut over and over and over again.

– you would seethe every once and a while. Why was Korra making her girlfriend laugh upsetting you? It shouldn't matter what she does. She's her girlfriend and has the right to make her laugh. It would probably be more concerning if Asami laughed harder at your jokes.

– Right?

– It would be great to make Asami laugh like that though. Her sparkling green eyes come to a close as her eyes squint. Her hand would politely cover her lips with a hooked finger, further pushing the elegant and proper look she's made of herself. And even though her blush does this for her already, her cheeks would be redder from how hard you made her laugh.

– Isn't that normal for a homie to want? It was normal to want to share that experience with Korra; making Asami laugh. These were all normal things. Right?

– It had to be. It's what you thought about at night. Making Asami laugh, making Korra shy, holding their hands and nuzzling your nose against their cheeks. That's all very normal things to think about when it comes to your friends.

– you never thought that way about Mako or Bolin of course. They were like siblings to you so, they were sibling pretty. Not the weak-in-the-knees-heart-racing-platonic-pretty Korra and Asami were.

– Well, Bolin didn't think so. Deny all you want, say what you want, but he saw the way you looked at them.

– He saw how your eyes light up when they come over to talk to you or how cutely small and shy you'd get when they hug you at the same time. He saw how you would point them out in everything you see, even if you're not with them.

– Bolin knows you and apparently, he knows you better than you know yourself.

– He knew you so well that he could tell when you were jealous and he could tell when you were attracted.

– when you were jealous: when their PDA gets too much, when they walk away together, when they make inside jokes, when they call each other "babe", and when they prefer each other over anyone else in the Krew.

– when you were attracted: when their attention is on you, when they talk to you one-on-one (mano-y-mano as Bolin referred), when they would hug you or take you out as a trio, when they compliment you, when they spring into action or act serious, and so much more that Bolin could write a whole book about your attraction towards the pair.

– Honestly, Bolin understood the attraction. He had a crush on Korra once. Mako too! In fact, everyone in the Krew had a crush on her so the fact that you had a crush on her (and her girlfriend) just met you're officially a part of their friend group now. Yay!

– now, Bolin never told you that he's aware of the crush you had on the pair but he would hint at it with suspicious winks, wiggles of his brows, and jokes that confused everyone else but you.

– "Yeah, red and blue sure are attractive colors, huh?" then he'd nudge you and you would freeze with a nervous smile.

– Mako, Asami, and Korra would have no clue what Bolin meant. Especially since they were talking about imprisoning war criminals when Bolin blurted. But hey, randomness is what Bolin is known for.

– A couple of weeks after that incident, you finally came to terms with yourself. You had to, the jealousy was getting too much that the girls were picking up on it.

"Whoa, you good?" Korra chuckled, noticing your glare after she kissed Asami's cheek. "You're uh, looking angrier than Mako on a good day." On a good day, you would tease her back but the feelings were too much.

The thoughts of holding them, kissing them (and not just on the cheek), and spending time with them was overwhelming and taking over every fiber of your being.

You couldn't watch them interact with each other without a firey burning in your chest and the clench of your fists. Also, you're pretty sure you've shaved a couple of centimeters off your teeth from all the teeth grinding you've been doing.

The girls have been giving you curious looks when you would glare in their direction. They'd awkwardly look at each other and then get away from your gaze to avoid confrontation.

Korra and Asami never assumed you were the type to judge their love, they didn't get that vibe from you, so it was a nerving surprise you got angry whenever they showcased public displays of affection.

"Yeah." You eased your shoulders from your ears. "I'm fine. Sorry. Just stressed."

"You must be chronically stressed then," Asami spoke as she slung an arm around Korra's shoulders. Your lips tensed at the sight. "Because you're always making faces or scowling nowadays."

"Yeah, you're doing it now actually," pointed Korra. You eased your lips again. Damn, it's like second nature to tense up or scowl whenever you see them interact. That wasn't healthy. At all.

These are your friends. By the expressions on their faces, you can see they're getting uncomfortable holding each other around you. Asami slowly moved her arm away from Korra with a frown and they tried not to show it, but they held each other's hands behind their backs.

Your friends had to hide their true selves from you because you're too afraid to admit your feelings.

Is this what you want? For them to be afraid and think you're someone or something you're not? Of course not. It was time to face the music. You have a crush on Korra and Asami.

Now, what are you going to do about it?

To be continued. | WC: 1,570

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olivetreehugger · 1 month

Text

IT’S HERE!!!!! Finally, goddamn this chapter took me forever to finish. I can’t tell you how many times I scrapped it and rewrote the dang thing. But it’s here, and that’s what matters.

above is a very cute screen grab of the character I’ve adopted and named Nani, who is the main character of this story. She’s so darn cute!!!! Would she not just be perfect for Bolin? I think so! Anyway, please see below for chapter two of Dispatches From Republic City!

Chapter Two: Reputation

It was early morning when Nani entered the Tea Market, her stomach growling impatiently for breakfast.

Located near the Four Nation’s Hall, the Tea Market was an outdoor bazaar/hodgepodge of food and beverage vendors. They offered everything from typical comfort meals to rare finds like pickled narwhal and sea prune paste (Water Tribe), thousand-year eggs and fish stew (Earth Nation) and boiled silkworms (Fire Nation). The Market saw a wide range of customers; everyone from important businessmen and politicians to triad members and hobos crossed its threshold.

It was rare that Nani had free time to visit, but ever since she was fired from Mama Chen’s, she found herself coming here more often. And after having such a restless night, she was both tired and ravenous.

The delectable scent of fried duck and congee tickled her senses from a few stalls away. Nani inhaled deeply and sighed, her eyes closing with a sad nostalgia. That particular meal brought back happier memories of her childhood, when she had a roof over her head and people who cared for her.

For a moment, she wondered what life would have been like had she stayed. Maybe she wouldn’t be starving now, standing in the middle of the Tea Market with two yuans to her name, with the image of Nuktuk begging for money on the street the only thing keeping her going.

Nani opened her eyes. That familiar feeling of failure began rising in her chest, hot and prickly, but as it reached her throat, she swallowed it back down and shoved it back where it couldn’t see the light of day. There, she mentally turned the locks and ignored its pounding on the door, pretending it was never there.

Gripping her purse, the brunette made her way to the stall. She placed her order and the vendor turned to the iron pot where the meat was being fried. As she waited, Nani turned her head to look at the surrounding stalls. Almost immediately, she saw something that made her do a double take.

Two men were walking in her direction. They were speaking to each other. It didn’t take her long to recognize them both.

One was dressed in a policeman’s uniform, black hair tidy and combed to the side, hands in his pockets. The detective from last night, she realized.

It took her a second longer to recognize the second man. He was just a bit shorter, dressed in a relaxed suit, his hair styled with gel. He was much more animated than his counterpart, arms emoting furiously as he talked.

“Something something, Mako, something something something!”

Nani’s eyes flew open as her mind flashed back a few years. Mako…as in…Mako and Bolin? The Fire Ferrets…the Bending Brothers—THAT Mako and Bolin? Oh, shit.

The pair drew closer as Nani awkwardly turned back to the vendor. She handed one yuan over in exchange for her meal. The heat of the cardboard holding the congee emanated through her fingertips and into her blood stream, warming her from the inside out.

It would’ve been nice to simply focus on the delicious food in her hands, but her mind was concentrated on the pair walking behind her.

“Are you sure about this, Bo?” The detective, Mako, asked. He sounded concerned.

“Yes, I’m sure!” His counterpart expressed. “This is gonna be huge for my career!”

Nani’s ears perked up with curiosity. She listened for their footsteps to clear and turned her head, watching their frames disappear into the crowd.

Not wanting to lose them, the brunette lunged forward, skittering across the dirty street to catch up. She held her food close to her chest, trying not to spill it all over herself as she moved. Eventually, she was close enough to eavesdrop, but hopefully far away enough to remain hidden.

“I’m not questioning your interviewing skills, bro,” Mako retorted. “But this sounds like a big deal--.”

Bolin grabbed his brother’s shoulder and exclaimed, “Uh, yeah! This is a big deal; it’s Cherry Wong!”

Nani’s hands suddenly went weak and her food slipped from her hands. Thankfully, she righted herself and caught the cardboard receptacle before a single morsel could be lost.

Did…he just say Cherry Wong?

“Exactly! This is the real deal. She’s coming out of retirement, so they’ll want some juicy information and dialogue,” Mako stated matter-of-factly. “Not some funny sound effects and jokes!”

A gasp of disbelief left Bolin’s mouth. “How dare you say that?! I am a reporter for the people and by the people! And guess what? I’ve already got a list of questions I’m gonna ask her.”

The older sibling was quiet for a moment before a defeated sigh left his lips. “Bolin, you’re not gonna ask her if she can touch her nose with her tongue, are you?”

An embarrassed scoff, “Tssshhht, no! Of course not….unless, no, no. Heh, definitely not.”

More silence, and Nani felt the secondhand embarrassment seep into her bones as Bolin’s shoulders sagged in defeat.

The earth bender muttered, “Okay fine, I’ll cross that off my list.”

Mako patted Bolin’s back and replied, “Look, the key to any good interview is good research. I do my homework before I interview a perp, and it helps me stay on track. I suggest you do the same.”

“Huh,” Bolin responded. “I guess that’s a pretty good idea. Although touching your nose with your tongue is also pretty dang impressive, I guess it would be helpful to know more about her as a person. Well…I’ve got a few months to figure it out!”

Mediocre and stupid…Shiro really knows how to pick ’em, Nani mused.

The brunette watched the brothers walk out of the market in disbelief. Her heart was doing somersaults in her chest and her nerves felt like they were buzzing.

When Nani was barely hitting puberty, Cherry Wong announced her sudden retirement on air, citing a severe chronic illness as the reason.

The world was not prepared for this unexpected departure, and Nani, her number one fan, was crushed. She used to pray for Miss Wong’s return, begging the spirits to listen. Maybe after all these years, they finally heard her.

With a smile on her face, Nani turned back to the market and scooped some congee into her mouth. The savory porridge combined with the fatty duck, spicy peppers and scallions instantly took her back. There she was, tucked between the other kids, the radio humming with Miss Wong’s velvety voice as she serenaded them to sleep like a surrogate mother.

The memory made her eyes burn, but she told herself it was the peppers. The news of Cherry Wong coming back to Republic City was incredibly stimulating, but knowing that Mr. Hot-Shot-Radio-Host would get an opportunity to not only meet her, but interview her….well, Nani couldn’t blame the hot feeling in her face on the peppers anymore.

Hastily, she finished her meal and wiped her mouth on her sleeve. She looked over at the horizon, where the antennas of the radio station were just barely visible.

A few months, huh? She mused internally, a grin forming on her face. I better start preparing.

___000___

The clouds had made their departure from the bright blue sky as Nani paced behind the radio station. She’d been practicing her introduction for several minutes now, and was growing frustrated.

Now, Nani was a damn good liar. It was a skill sharpened by years of living off the street, deceiving and swindling for a loaf of bread or a place to sleep. It was just something she had to do to survive—this was no different.

That audition could have transformed her life if she had been give the chance, but Bolin took that away from her so he could tell cheesy jokes into a microphone. He already had everything he needed in life. Why couldn’t he just go back to pro-bending? Why couldn’t he continue starring in those stupid movers? What did he get from this?

Prior to this morning, Nani didn’t plan on doing anything drastic. She figured she’d “bump” into him outside the station, pluck his wallet in the confusion, and go about her day. It would’ve ruined his week, but it wouldn’t have caused any significant damage to either of their lives.

But it was deeply personal now. Bolin was going to work with her all time hero, and he was likely going to fuck it up. He didn’t need her help to do so, that’s for sure. However, this was likely her only opportunity to meet the woman she’d looked up to her whole life, and she wasn’t going to pass it up.

If she could only figure out a convincing cover story to get her inside.

“Hello, my name is Tanana, I work with the Tribune—” No…

“Hi, I’m Tanana, I’m president of the Cherry Wong fan club—” No, no, coming off too strong…

“My name’s Tanana, I just finished secretary school—” Who are you trying to fool? You can’t even type!

She groaned in defeat, leaning her head against the brick wall next to her.

“Fuck….I can’t believe this is my life,” she murmured to herself.

“You said it, sweets,” a female voice replied dryly.

Startled, Nani twisted her head back to see a woman standing outside the back door.

She was beautiful, her bronze complexion complimented by her piercing blue eyes and long, wavy black hair. She wore feather earrings and a long lilac coat. Between her two fingers was a lit cigarette, its end burning a deep rust color.

Nani blanched. How long had she been standing there?

The stranger took a drag and laughed, the air whistling through the gap between her front teeth.

“I know that feeling. You look like you could use a smoke,” the woman said, offering Nani the cigarette.

The brunette took it cautiously. She hadn’t smoked one of these in ages.

She took a puff and coughed a couple of times. The familiar nicotine buzz came over her quickly, and she felt her nerves start to calm.

She coughed again and gave it back. “Thanks,” she said.

“Don’t mention it,” the woman replied. “’Name’s Koko! Nice to meetcha.”

Nani shook Koko’s hand. “I’m Tanana. You can call me Nani, though.”

Blue eyes widened with excitement.

“Oooh, so you’re a Water Tribe gal, too? Shoulda known, you’re way too pretty to be anything else.”

Nani frowned, responding curtly, “No, I’m from the city. Born and raised.”

Koko pursed her lips and shrugged. Blowing out a final cloud of smoke, she flicked the cigarette onto the ground and crushed it with her foot.

“If you say so, sweetie,” she responded. “So, what do you do? Oh, wait, let me guess: reporter, president of the Cherry Wong Fan Club, and a secretary? That’s an impressive resume.”

Nani’s cheeks bloomed with red heat. “So, you heard all that, huh?” She asked, wishing she could crawl into a dumpster and die.

A windchime-like laugh left Koko’s mouth, exposing a silver capped tooth. “I stepped out for a smoke and I heard ya rambling like a hobo on dope—figured I’d stick around and make sure you were okay,” she admitted.

Nani cleared her throat. “I take it you work here?” She pointed behind Koko to the station.

“You betcha,” the blue-eyed woman replied. “And I take it you want a job here?”

Her stomach nearly leapt into her chest as Nani responded, “You could say that.”

Koko looked her up and down, sighing, “A word of advice, sweets: if you wanna get a job, especially at a joint like this, you’re gonna need to look a little more put together. You’re also gonna need some experience in the entertainment industry; and something tells me you ain’t got it.”

Nani looked at the ground in shame. Koko was right; she hadn’t bathed in a few days, her hair felt like a rat’s nest, her face was bare and swollen from lack of sleep, her oversized wool dress was stolen from a neglected clothing line near by….she definitely did not look “put-together”.

But.

“I have experience,” she argued. “I used to sing in clubs.”

“Used to, ‘eh?” Koko asked, raising a thin eyebrow at her. “Let me guess, your pimp tried to share you with his partners so you made a break for it?”

Nani’s hand instinctively flew to her hair as she tugged and twirled at it. Tahno didn’t exactly like sharing his toys. And he also didn’t like it when his toys got more attention than he did.

“Not exactly,” she muttered.

Koko looked her up and down again, this time her expression softening. She took a few steps towards Nani, reaching for her but not quite touching her.

“My mom fell on hard times, too. I know it’s rough,” she started.

Nani frowned and looked away. She didn’t want pity, she wanted a job….but it felt nice to be seen.

Koko offered her a smile. “Tell you what; we’ve been looking for a backup singer to help jingles and stuff. I sing on ‘em too, so you wouldn’t be alone. If you can impress Shiro, he’ll hire you for commission. Whaddya think?”

Relieved, the brunette replied, “That sounds great, thank you.”

“Ah ah ah,” Koko responded, blocking the door. “Before we continue, you gotta show me what you got. No offense, but I’m not just bringing any broad in front of Shiro.”

Nani nodded, her heart suddenly thumping in her chest. Thankfully, she wasn't being held against her will in a brothel. She parted her lips and began singing one of her favorites,

“My man walked out, now you know that ain’t right,

Well, he better watch out, if I meet him tonight,

I said when I get low,

Ohhhh, I get hiiiigh,

All this hard luck in this town has found me,

Nobody knows ‘bout troubles all ‘round and ‘round me,

Oh, I’m all alone, with no one to pet me,

That old rocking chair ain’t never gonna get me,

‘Cause when I get low,

Ohhhh, I get hiiiigh,”

Her voice was a little nasally and raspy at first, but she quickly fell into her own rhythm, her voice growing more powerful with each verse. She finished on a high note, belting the last “high” with her whole chest.

Nani finished with a smile, looking nervously at Koko for some sort of response. She worried that she might’ve gone a bit overboard. Fortunately, the look on Koko’s face said quite the opposite.

___000___

Slender brown hands wrapped the satin scarf around Nani’s head and tucked in her stray curls.

“There, that oughta do it!” Koko exclaimed, turning the brunette towards the mirror.

Nani stared at her reflection, impressed by what Koko had done using only a bar of soap, a charcoal pencil, some rouge and a borrowed scarf.

She touched her face and smiled, feeling refreshed. She looked up at Koko’s reflection and said, “Thanks, I owe you.”

Waving a hand, the blue-eyed woman replied, “Don’t worry about it, sweets. C’mon, let’s go find Shiro.”

Nani followed Koko through the station as she gave her a glorified tour of the space. She hummed as she looked around. People, machines, papers, and noise filled the air. It was much busier than the last time she was here. She didn’t realize it took so many people to run a place like this.

“So…is your job singing?” She asked.

Koko shook her head, “Well, not really. I’ve written and recorded a few jingles for the show, but that’s a side gig. My real job is broadcasting—I work directly with the producers and talent to make sure everything goes smoothly before, during and after the show. I basically run this joint.”

Nani nodded in understanding. She wondered if she knew about the Cherry Wong situation.

The blue-eyed woman gestured for Nani to follow her upstairs, chatting vibrantly the whole time. Nani listened whole-heartedly, amused by Koko’s knowledge of office gossip. It was also kind of nice to experience real, personal interaction that went beyond the usual unpleasantries exchanged at her old job.

Also, Koko was pretty funny. The Water Tribe native had explained all the segments and shows they put on, what time slots they had, and how interesting they were on a scale of “yawnsville” to “better than sex”.

Apparently, she also worked on ‘Dispatches from Republic City’, which she had dubbed, “Almost as good as sex.”

With the mention of her self-proclaimed nemesis, Nani inhaled sharply.

“What’s it like working with Bolin, anyway?” She asked, expecting her to complain about how dim-witted and selfish he was.

Except, she didn’t. Koko came to a door that read “STUDIO” and swung it open. Smirking, she said, “See for yourself.”

Amplifiers, speakers, soundboards and monitoring panels lined the walls. The sound of rolling tapes clicked in the background. A man sat at a desk with a microphone and a panel of buttons and switches in front of him.

He clicked a bright red button on the base of the microphone. “That was perfect, Bolin. Let’s take a quick ten and then all we’ve got are the sign offs,” he said.

“Sounds good!” An amplified voice responded from the speakers.

The man at the desk got up, nodding at the women as he left. Seconds later, the recording room door opened and a young man stepped out.

Whatever “it” was that celebrities had, whatever made them so magnetic, Bolin certainly had it. Seeing him out in the market was like seeing an old acquaintance you hoped to avoid, but seeing him here? It evoked a starstruck feeling that made Nani’s insides stir when their eyes met.

His smile was charming, charismatic even. His eyes, lush and green, never once left her face.

“Hey, Koko!” The man came closer, acknowledging them with a wave. “Who’s your friend?”

Looping her arm into the brunette’s, Koko replied, “This is Tanana! She goes by Nani!”

The earthbender’s smile widened. “I’m Bolin!” He stated, extending his hand.

Nani glared at it for a moment, then looked up at him.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she greeted, her tone frosty. She allowed the handshake, but didn’t like how it summoned butterflies in her core.

Koko added, “She’s here to audition for the backup spot!”

Bolin’s eyes widened, “Wow! So, you’re a singer, huh?”

Nani felt her cheeks warm up, “Well, sort of.”

“Oh, don’t be shy!” Koko exclaimed, elbowing the brunette in the stomach. “She’s a singer alright! And a pretty damn good one!”

The earth bender walked over to the console table near the door and picked up a small white box. He popped it open, revealing several moon cakes decorated with different glazes and syrups.

“I brought these for the studio. Take one, as a token of good luck,” he said.

Nani eyed the moon cakes keenly. The duck and congee from this morning had already made its way out of her stomach, leaving a familiar emptiness.

“Thanks, but I’m not hungry,” she stated firmly, unwilling to compromise.

Her stomach growled viciously in protest, betraying her.

Bolin chuckled, “Well, it sounds like you are. Just take one!”

Koko quickly jutted between them and clasped her hands together. “Oh, thanks Bo Bo! You know I love these!” She squealed.

Nani watched the girl pluck two cakes from the box. As she proceeded to take several bites from each one, Bolin yanked the box away from her.

“Hey! Don’t be greedy! Nani hasn’t had one yet!” He chided.

“C’mon,” Bolin turned back to her, holding out the box. “Pick your favorite!”

Between her stomach exuding whale mating calls and Koko’s ecstatic chewing noises, Nani caved in and reached for a small yellow cake that was drizzled with raspberry syrup. She brought it to her lips and took a careful bite.

Sugary sweet goodness danced across her tastebuds.

“Wow,” was all she said, running her tongue over her lower lip to catch a stray dab of syrup. She popped the rest of the pastry into her mouth unceremoniously.

“Super good, right? I got them from this new bakery called ‘Oolong’ on Main Street,” the earthbender rambled. “They were so busy! The line stretched out the door and all the way round the corner, but it was worth it!”

Koko sighed, “Good ‘ol Bolin, always feedin’ us. What would we do without ya?”

Bolin smiled again, winking at Nani. “Hey, can’t leave my friends hanging! Today’s a long recording day—we gotta get through it somehow.”

It was that “it” factor again. Normally, the brunette was good at picking up on subtleties, so she was annoyed with herself for finding him so pleasant when just hours ago he was rambling like a senseless baboon. She glared at him. How were they even the same person?

His face was still round and youthful, but there was a sharpness to his features that she didn’t remember being there before. And yet, his expression retained a boyish charm.

He’s too good, she thought. How does he do that?

Bolin was also taller than she remembered, though she’d only ever seen him huddled in a booth at Narook’s. She was a little surprised to have to look up at him.

Even his build was robust, his muscular shoulders, arms and chest making their presence well known under his clothes. He personified his element well, and Nani figured if she tried to punch him it would feel like punching a brick wall.

Not that she wanted to punch him (ok maybe a little).

“Hey,” Bolin said, tilting his head sideways like a polar bear dog. “I know this might sound weird, but I feel like we’ve met before.”

Nani glanced at him in surprise. She didn’t expect him to remember her.

She cleared her throat nervously, “It’s a big city, I doubt it.”

Shaking his head vigorously, Bolin retorted, “No, no! I know I’ve seen you around before. Where do you live? Little Water Tribe? Harmony Park?”

“Neither,” she answered. She could feel her underarms growing damp.

Rubbing his chin, Bolin studied her for an agonizing amount of time before sighing, bowing his head in defeat.

“I got nothin’,” he finally said.

Nani exhaled in relief.

“But!” The young man exclaimed, startling her. “You can bet I’m gonna figure it out!!”

“I won’t hold my breath,” Nani scoffed.

Koko licked her fingers loudly. “Have you seen Shiro, by chance?” She asked the earthbender.

Bolin rubbed his chin again, stating, “Hm, you might wanna try his office. He’s been drowning in paperwork since…well, y’know.”

“Gooootcchhaa,” the blue-eyed woman replied, offering him a wink. “Well, we’re gonna go find him, now. See ya, Bo Bo!”

As the women turned to leave, Bolin waved at Nani and hollered, “Good luck!”

Nani didn’t respond.

Walking behind Koko, the brunette asked curiously, “So, what did he mean when he said Shiro’s been drowning in paperwork?”

A look of discomfort crossed over Koko’s face. “Well, it’s not my business to say but….Shiro’s going through some stuff with the missus,” she confessed.

Nani nodded knowingly, but she felt a pit forming in her stomach. If the famous broadcaster was dealing with an irate wife and stress from work, who was to say he would even give her a chance?

Once they approached Shiro’s office, Koko flashed Nani a confident grin before rapping her knuckles against the frame.

“Who is it?” Came a muffled, but familiar voice.

“It’s your favorite Water Tribe gal with a present!” Koko replied in a sing-song tone.

The sound of shuffling came from behind the door before it opened to reveal a rather tired-looking Shiro.

Nani had never actually seen Shiro Shinobi, but she never expected he’d look like this. His eyes were bleary and red, his cheeks were sunken in, and he reeked of cigarette smoke. A five o’clock shadow peppered his lower jaw.

When his gaze settled on Nani, he nodded. “I see. Come in, come in.”

The pair followed Shiro inside. Nani nearly gasped at the state of disarray. Paper cups half full of cold tea, crumpled up newspaper, stray napkins, and broken picture frames of an older woman littered the room.

She felt a twinge of pity for him.

“Shiro,” Koko declared. “This is Tanana. She’s here for the backup position.”

The older man offered her a half-hearted wave and plopped back into his chair. “Hello, Tanana. I take it you can sing, eh?”

Nani looked to Koko for encouragement. The Water Tribe native tilted her head to the side and darted her eyes towards the radio legend.

Taking the cue, Nani cleared her throat and replied with Koko’s pre-planned address , “Yes, sir. I’ve had several years of informal training as a child before I began singing jazz at the clubs. I’ve never been signed or anything, but I believe I can—”

“Alright, alright, you don’t have to tell me your life story, kid. Just show me what you can do,” he responded sardonically.

Although his answer was jarring, Nani decided to let his sourness roll off her skin and took a deep breath.

She flashed him a smile and opened her mouth.

____000____

“Alright people, I’ve got a jasmine, a Ceylon with sugar, one mint, a chai with sheep-cow milk, and two darjeelings,” Nani announced, pushing into the packed conference room for afternoon tea time. She set the serving tray down onto the table.

Bolin hopped up from his chair exuberantly, shouting, “Oh yeah! Nani, you are savin’ my life right now!”

He immediately dove to the tray and grabbed his drink, the Ceylon with sugar.

“Man, I really need this, I’m fading like an antique rug,” he sighed, bringing the cup to his lips.

“Careful, it’s still hot-” Nani warned, but she was too late--Bolin was holding back tears as he struggled to not spit out the scalding liquid.

She ignored him and walked the chai over to where Shiro sat, placing it in front of him with a smile. His tired eyes lit up.

“Thanks, kiddo.”

Shiro blew carefully onto the steaming cup a few times before taking a sip.

He closed his eyes and sighed, “Tanana, you might be the best tea maker I’ve ever met, and I’ve been to the Jasmine Dragon!”

The sound of affirmations and agreements filled the room as everyone eagerly enjoyed their teas.

Nani grinned. She’d been at Studio 54 for three weeks and already she had cemented herself as a necessary part of everyone’s day. Afternoon Team Time was a mandatory occurrence at the station (at Shiro’s behest), so she was tasked with the tea orders.

Originally, she was hired to record jingles for the currently airing shows. Koko warned her that the work would be sparse and dull since she was only a backup, and there were days she may not even be needed. Plus, the pay wouldn’t be all that great.

However, Nani was a resourceful woman. She knew how to make herself indispensable. The first day, she knocked on Shiro’s door and asked if he needed anything. At first, he only waved her away, but she persisted.

Soon, she was tidying up his desk and rearranging his candle collection. After that, she was writing memos and answering phones. Then she took responsibility of Afternoon Tea Time. She made herself Shiro Shinobi’s personal assistant and she took her role seriously.

She would be lying if she said she didn’t scour his office for evidence of this upcoming interview, but she never found anything substantial besides a frayed letter of correspondence between Shiro and Miss Wong’s agent, which didn’t have anything interesting in it that would benefit Nani’s cause. Disappointing was one way to put it, but Nani decided the gig was too good to just give up now. She was sure the topic would come up when the time was right. In any case, Shiro was barely in a state to be talked to right now.

The man was a bit grumpy and pathetic, but he was going through a nasty divorce and still had to run a very popular radio station. Nani couldn’t fault him for an occasional temper tantrum, especially since it was usually targeted at someone else.

The pay was quite a nice incentive, too. She was making eight yuans a day, which was more than she could’ve ever dreamed of. She saved every bit of her money, hoping to eventually find a small apartment so she wouldn’t have to keep sleeping on Koko’s mother’s couch. It was an incredibly kind gesture, but Nani knew from experience that kindness had an expiration date.

Which was why Bolin, of all people, perplexed her.

She didn’t buy his “boy-next-door” routine. A guy like that couldn’t bag a princess, a mover star, and a Beifong in the same lifetime. He was a haughty charmer, and an idiot, too—but he couldn’t possibly be that kind.

Ever since she started working at the studio, Nani took notice of how the earthbender always brought food for his colleagues, went out of his way to help them with tasks, and how patient he was when something didn’t go his way.

Just the other day, Nani accidentally spilled hot tea all over his notes for an upcoming segment.

“Gah!” He’d yelled, jumping back to avoid being burned.

As the ink blurred with the steaming liquid and dripped down the side of the desk, the brunette reflexively dropped to her knees and started cleaning, apologizing profusely. She expected him to strike, to yell, to at least throw something. Y’know, how angry men do.

Weirdly though, he instead got down to her eye level and asked, “Shit, Nani, are you okay?”

Nani nearly went into shock. She immediately stood, stone-faced.

“I’m fine.”

It was because she was Shiro’s personal assistant, of course. He had a reputation to keep, so that had to be why he was always so nice. On the inside, he was just as rotten as the rest of them.

At least, that’s what Nani told herself.

What really bothered her about all of this was how he and Koko interacted. Even now, the pair were chit-chatting and laughing about spirits-know-what during their meeting with Shiro.

Nani stood in the corner of the conference room, serving tray tucked under her arm, with an expression that could sour a lemon.

She couldn’t understand why Koko, someone so sharp and witty, was so chummy with this guy. Of course, Koko was friendly with everyone—sometimes even a bit flirty. But Bolin? Could she not see how fake he was?

Later that night, as the two young woman set the table for dinner, Nani decided to ask.

“What’s with you and Bolin?” She questioned.

The blue-eyed woman folded a napkin and placed it down before looking at her with a confused look. “Whaddya mean?”

Nani pursed her lips. “I mean, why do you hang out with him?”

Koko furrowed her brows together and stared at Nani. “Um, because I like him?”

Crossing her arms over her chest, the brunette scoffed, “You mean to tell me that you think that overgrown toddler is attractive?”

A chuckle left Koko’s lips. “Spirits, no! Bolin’s a cutie but he ain’t tan enough or hairy enough for me. I prefer tribe men,” she replied, thoroughly amused by Nani’s inquiries.

Nani uncrossed her arms and returned to arranging the cutlery. “I just don’t understand why you like him,” she admitted with a sigh.

Pouting, the blue-eyed woman replied, “Because he’s my friend and he’s nice.”

“That’s just it—he’s too nice,” Nani retorted. “Like, aggravatingly so. No one is that nice. Plus, he’s annoying, and peppy, and just so stu-“

The sound of the front door opening cut into her rant.

A resonant, raspy voice called out, “I’m home!”

“Hey, mom!” Koko called back.

Kalla walked in carrying two large take out bags from Narook’s and set them on the counter with a heavy “ooh!”.

The dark haired, older woman peeled her coat off and placed it onto a chair. She then turned to Koko and kissed her cheek. “How was work?”

“It was fine, Mom. The usual, y’know?”

Kalla nodded and turned to Nani with a smile. “And how are you, sweets?” She asked.

The brunette returned the smile shyly, replying, “I’m good. Thank you for dinner.”

Gesturing to the food, the elder Water Tribe woman said, “Dig in, girls. Before it gets cold.”

Nani gratefully helped herself to a heap of seaweed noodles, eyes rolling back as the familiar savory taste coated her tongue. It’d been a long time since she enjoyed Narook’s noodles. She gulped them down quickly, barely even chewing.

It took several minutes of silence, laced only with her own slurping noises, for Nani to notice Kalla and Koko were watching her.

“You must love Narook’s,” the younger woman remarked.

“Slow down, sweets,” Kalla uttered sternly. “You don’t want your cause of death to be ‘gagged on seaweed’, do you?”

Embarrassed, Nani set down her chop sticks.

“I-I’m sorry,” she muttered, not meeting their gazes.

Kalla smirked knowingly. “I remember when I first got off the streets. I inhaled every meal like it would be my last,” she explained. “I used to hide food, too, because I was afraid people would steal it from me.”

She covered her face with one hand and shook her head, laughing. “I remember your father would find rotting kale and mushrooms in the closet and say, ‘honey, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’re not in the South Pole anymore!’”

Koko and her mother began cackling, and Nani chuckled along with them.

It was easy being around them, she decided. Both women were fierce and determined, but also carefree and forgiving. When Koko brought her to the apartment, Kalla, a divorced single mother, took Nani in without hesitation and refused a single yuan in return.

“Yue knows I’ve been there,” she’d said. “Save your money so you can buy yourself a castle one day.”

Nani would never forget that.

For the rest of dinner, she listened to Kalla and Koko chat about this-and-that, only participating to nod or laugh. When she finished, Nani began clearing her plate, but Koko reached out to stop her.

“I got it,” the brunette affirmed, swatting her hand away playfully.

Maybe she wasn’t allowed to pay for board, but she was sure as hell going to pull her weight in chores.

“So, Miss Tanana,” Kalla spoke, placing heavy weight on her name. “Who taught you to sing? Koko here was trained at Lady Tuya’s Academy. Their tuition was sky high but Tuya owed me from our days cleaning latrine’s together.”

Nani shrugged, stacking dirty plates into the sink. “No one taught me,” she responded honestly. “One day I was listening to the radio and I just started singing along.”

Leaning back in her chair, Kalla patted her stomach and hiccupped, “Huh. Well, I suppose practice does make perfect!”

“Don’t be modest,” Koko added, teasingly bending a squirt of sudsy water at the brunette. “Weren’t you in the Cherry Wong fan club?”

“President of the Cherry Wong fan club, thank you very much!” Nani quipped, spraying her back.

While the girls giggled and splashed around, Kalla admonished them from her seat, “Hey, hey! I swear to La, if I see the water bill go up even one yuan, I’m throwing you both out on the streets!”

Nani immediately froze and quietly went back to scrubbing the dishes while Koko rinsed them.

“She doesn’t mean it,” The older girl assured Nani, bumping her hip jokingly.

“Did you hear about this Cherry Wong coming back from retirement?” Kalla asked.

Ears prickling, Nani snapped her head back. She feigned ignorance. “Really?” She asked.

Koko nodded with excitement. “Yeah! In fact, she’s coming to our studio to do an interview with Bolin in a few months! But it’s all hush-hush for now, no one else in the station is supposed to know—only me, Bo, and Shiro.”

She hesitated, then looked apologetically at Nani.

“Well, and you, I guess,” she added.

Makes sense why no one’s brought it up at all the last few weeks, Nani contemplated. She was a little annoyed that being Shiro Shinobi’s assistant hadn’t given her the “in” to the studio’s secrets.

Kalla cogitated aloud, “Speaking of Bolin—how is that sweet boy doing?”

Koko moved to the stove and began boiling water in a blue pot. “He’s as good as can be expected,” she replied. “It’s only been six months.”

“Breakups are tough,” the older woman sighed. “He and that Beifong girl were too cute. But that’s what happens when you love a bird too hard…they fly away.”

Nani listened keenly, pretending to focus on the soapy water in front of her.

“Sometimes people drift apart,” Koko commented somberly. She reached into an overhead cabinet and scooped a handful of loose leaf tea into the pot as it came to a boil. “Poor guy didn’t see it coming. He was heartbroken.”

Bolin? Heartbroken? Nani scoffed internally. Sure, and I’m Avatar Aang. Please.

Unable to keep in her contempt, the brunette quietly muttered, “I’m sure he’ll move on to another chick soon. Men don’t dwell on these things for long.”

Koko didn’t respond, but Nani could feel her icy blue eyes on her. She pretended not to notice and started gathering the tea cups.

“Well, I hope he finds a good girl he can keep grounded,” Kalla said, pausing for everyone to notice her joke.

After a painfully long moment, Koko huffed, “Mom, that was terrible.”

Nani couldn’t help but laugh, and Kalla laughed with her.

“See, at least someone thinks I’m funny!” She exclaimed.

Her laughter filled every crevasse of the kitchen, along with the earthy, rich aroma of Ceylon tea.

#legend of korra #bolin #lok #bolin x reader #lok bolin #bolin fluff #bolin headcanons #bolin x y/n #bolin x you

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