poly_chromatic

[Why is this her life? Korra can't muster up more than mild annoyance. She'd pushed herself pretty hard in training, and she's still feeling the warm, languid happiness that accompanies heavy exercise.]

What are you doing here?

[ Why? Because incidents like this are footnotes in the life and times of Korra and BK-201. The City really is too hermetically sealed. He's getting claustrophobic. ]

Is that your business?

I guess not.

[She walks over to Naga, resting her hand on the dog's shoulder. Naga swallows the last of her snack and butts her head against Korra's side comfortingly.

She hasn't wanted to see him. She doesn't want to see him. It's not about the memories, or the regrets. Every day since she moved to Republic City has been a lesson in living with those. It's the questions that eat her up inside whenever she sees him. When he's not around, it's easy to believe that everything had been a lie. He's tricked her before. But when he's there, she can't believe it. She'd seen something real.]

[Her hand tightens in Naga's fur. She's so tired of this. She's tired of questions and doubts and second guesses. Enough running.]

No.

[She turns to glare at him.]

It is my business. Why can't you answer a simple question? How hard can it be?

[ Her anger is practically palpable. Like a heat illusion on a sun-baked highway. But she isn't the Avatar because she's a fucking coward, after all. He can't think of how to respond. Double-speak and deception are fixed facets of his life. Who he is. He's always had to keep his eyes peeled. Always looking for the bigger score, riding the cutting edge. ]

[ Always keeping two steps ahead of his allies so he can gauge the exact moment they become his enemies. ]

What do you want me to say? That I was here to stalk and murder your pet?

[ The sarcasm comes easily. He just goes with it because he doesn't know what to do with his emotional reactions to things. ]

[Her anger is all but a force of nature. The sarcasm hits, stings, but doesn't even slow her down. She advances on him, not giving him any space to run. If he tries, she's just going to chase.]

I want you to tell me the truth.

[ This is getting out of control. Professional training and cold logic warns: Stupid girl, stay away, I could snap off both your arms at the joints and pulp your larynx to ducksauce as soon as answer. He's practiced at appearing unfazed and detached, but this is bringing some cracks in that facade. There is rage just below his surface. ]

I don't have to tell you anything.

[ He doesn't owe her his routines or inner-confidences. She's safer -- better off -- not knowing anything at all. ]

[He may not be as expressive as she is, but anger recognizes anger. Korra isn't afraid of it or the unspoken promise of violence. Instead, there's a fierce satisfaction at breaking through to something human.]

What is your problem?! Why are you so freaking obsessed with lies and secrets?! Do you enjoy making things more complicated than they have to be?!

[ The four-flush front stays in place. But his eyes narrow. This is a line of questioning his training warns him to deflect. He wants to say, We aren't having this discussion. But that's tantamount to admitting how much more he has to hide. He knows he can kill her in a split-second if he chooses. Considers it for one such split-second, knowing perfectly well he can walk away without guilt if he does. ]

[ He's lived with Contractors all his life. He can think and act like one. He is one -- despite this stupid psychological thaumaturgy. ]

[ Instead he chooses a third option -- turning on his heel, prepared to stalk off. ]

Oh no you don't.

[She reaches for his arm, knowing it will result in a fight and not caring. One way or another, this is ending.]

[ Just snap her neck. Human beings learn best those lessons which are taught through pain. There's no other way she'll back off. But a second voice, cool and modulated, almost like Pai's, intrudes: Contractors don't always kill. They sometimes end their mark's lives by leaving them alive: with a pulse but psychologically decimated. Through sweetness. Through manipulations. Through traps. But neither option appeals to him. ]

[ There's always a third route. ]

[ He takes a moment to acknowledge that this has become The Sum Of All Clichés, and makes his choice in a half-second. Shuts his eyes, shuts them tight and pulls her against him, hugging her hard. ]

[ The message is clear. Shut up. ]

[He never does what she expects.

Why does he never do what she expects?!

Korra's too surprised to resist when he pulls her in, or to struggle when he holds her tight. Truth be told, she's a tactile person, and the fastest way to tell her almost anything is through touch.]

What are you trying to hide?

[The question comes out, but she's not expecting an answer. She understands what he's telling her right now. She just doesn't understand why.]

[ He keeps his eyes closed. Something bubbles up inside -- watery and second-hand. But he refuses to pinpoint what the thought or emotion might be. He resents it. All this dancing around is making him sick. In Heaven's War, he'd been a cold and virulent force. He'd once acted only according to self-benefit and survival, with no time for explanations. But all that ruthlessness was to protect Pai. ]

[ And she isn't here. ]

[ The memory of his sister doesn't obscure his view of Korra; he sees her for what she is -- young, alive, hopelessly rash. But he can't imagine her world or his juxtaposed. There's sincerity and honesty and Hei has dealt with the opposite for too long to be even remotely forthcoming. ]

[ Slowly, he peels his hands away, and retreats a step, eyes averted. Doesn't look at her again, before he turns to exit the forest. ]

[In what is either an act of fate or an ill-timed joke, Chekov, off of work and traipsing about the forest, very nearly walks into--well, he certainly thought it was Li, but there's nothing Li-like about the person he all but runs into. And is that Korra and Naga?

Feeling as though he has just stumbled upon something that he shouldn't have, Chekov holds up his hands to show that he's unarmed, as that's the done thing when one is in such a situation.]

Korra? ...Li?

[Once again, she's being left with no answers, only more questions. There's no more anger left to keep her going.

Her heart stops when she sees Chekov. Damn it. How much had he seen?]

Chekov! Hi!

[She looks nervously at Li. How is he going to react?]

W-what are you doing out here?

[ God, Hei is in the wrong business. He should be writing soap opera scripts with the drama his life keeps spewing. He sees Chekov. Hears Korra's nervous babble -- dammit, she's making things worse. Quickly, he suppresses any reaction surfacing. He forces himself to think clinically. Anger isn't something he enjoys succumbing to. He prefers to be absolutely in control of his image as 'Li' and rage tends to wreck that in the worst ways. ]

[ Case in point: This. ]

[ He reshapes his expression -- his very persona. Sweet. Timid. Quietly calculating. ]

Oh -- Hi, Chekov. We weren't expecting you to be here too.

[ As if they've met by serendipitous chance. But the damage is done. Now Hei has to focus on making the problem go away. ]

[He has only seen enough to be very confused, and Hei might recover almost well enough to make Chekov question what he thought he saw, but Korra is not so convincing.]

I was walking and I thought I heard voices...?

[Li--or whoever--gets a frown. There is so much that doesn't add up.]

What are the two of you doing here?

Looking for a bathroom! I mean, Naga was. Looking. For a bathroom.

[The words come out in a panicked rush, and she has to bite her lip to stop herself from talking. She's standing next to an expert liar. She should probably let him handle the lying.

She shoots Li a pleading look. Please don't hurt him.]

[ The bathroom? He represses an eyeroll. Korra needs serious lessons. Hei's learnt early on that being a deep-cover operative isn't just having false documents and a solid cover story. To assume a role, you have to convey with total conviction that you are who you claim to be. That means believing it absolutely yourself. Enveloping someone in an attitude and emotionally drawing them toward you. He ignores Korra's pleading look. Focuses on Chekov. ]

[ This situation requires the delicacy of a neurosurgeon. ]

I was taking a walk. Then I ran into Naga. And Korra. [ Here, he manufactures a blush. As if her discomfort stems from something stupid-cheeky-flirtatious 'Li' said or did before Chekov arrived. ] What about you? You never struck me as the forest-y type.

[Naga was... looking...

No. Chekov isn't stupid, Korra isn't that easily flustered, and Li has been under suspicion since his memories were placed on the network--something that has not been forgotten in spite of a pleasant night of stargazing and eating cake. Li gets dismissed:] You have never struck me as a forest-y type, either.

[And now he focuses on Korra. Dishonesty is not one of her strong suits; if anyone will tell the truth, it's her.]

What is going on?

Like he said. We just happened to run into each other and were talking.

[She tried to do what Li had done -- make the truth into a lie that seems true -- but her discomfort is palpable.

She needs to get Chekov out of here. Quickly.]

But hey! Now that you're here, I kinda accidentally broke the dvd player? [This is true, actually. She had tried to get the dvd out the other night to return to the video store, and...well, it hadn't ended well.] Can you come take a look at it?

[She reaches out to grab Chekov's hand, and tries to give Li a bright smile.]

It was great running into you, Li.

[Naga, sensing the tension in the air, lets out an audible growl. If Li tries anything on Chekov right now, the polar bear dog won't hesitate to attack.

Korra shoots her best friend a glare. Shut up, Naga!]

[ Hei wants to cut the bonhomie bullshit. Chekov is clearly suspicious. Korra's high-strung chatter isn't helping. She's either very bad at lying or very afraid of the consequences. Probably both. He glances between her and Chekov as she starts leading him away. Tch. So obvious. ]

[ Pavel isn't an idiot. Subtle probing, a few choice words, and Korra's shallow bowl of excuses will run dry. He needs to deal with Chekov before that occurs. Just not through blatant force. ]

Leaving already? [ He affects a disappointed but convincing sigh. ] Well, if that's what you want. It would've been fun to hang out in the forest a bit. [ Naga growls, and he feigns a nervous little twitch. But his mind is elsewhere -- running through different scenarios. He can shadow the trio at a safe distance. Wait until Chekov is alone. ]

[ Then tie up the loose ends. ]

[There are entire layers of not-quite-right here, but Chekov knows that Korra is completely capable of dragging him along with her and Naga's behavior is disquieting, to say the least. Best to go along with them and save himself the indignity of being pulled through the forest. He can offer up a token protest, however!]

It needs to be fixed right now? Can it wait? I wouldn't mind hanging out.

[Li, what are you playing at?]

Sorry. I promised Asami another movie night.

[Come ooooooooon, Chekov.]

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