poly_chromatic

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legend of korra: korra

十三

[accidental video]

[Welcome to Korra and Asami's bedroom, network. On one side, you have a plush bed and lots of stuff. It looks cozy and comfortable and very luxurious.

On the other, you have Korra. She's sitting on her bed, which has little more than a soft blanket and a pillow, clutching a letter in one hand and Mako's red scarf in the other.

I believe in you, the letter says. Have fun!

How is she supposed to have fun when she's all alone? Her life, her family, her friends, they're all at home. All out of her reach. She doesn't have anything here.

She wraps Mako's scarf around her neck and curls up in a little ball.

Worst month ever.]

[ooc: Asami left. ;.;]

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[This does not look like a thing that was supposed to be posted to the network.]

Korra?

[The sound of Chekov's voice takes her by surprise. She jumps up, and it takes her a moment to remember to wipe her face.]

Chekov! Hi. Sorry, I didn't mean to...

[Her face pales a little as she realizes the entire thing had been broadcast over the network.

Fuck. Everything.]

Sorry! Ay, sorry--I wanted to tell you that your device is on, is all.

I noticed.

[That wasn't sarcasm directed at you, Chekov. She takes a deep breath and blurts out]

Asami's gone.

Yes, I saw her picture when I was looking for Lena. I'm very sorry, Korra.

[She wraps her arms around her knees and clutches them like a lifeline]

I hate this place.

It can be bad.

Would you like company?

It's the worst.

[She chews on her lip, wanting to say yes but shy, too. Her first instinct when hurting is always to be alone. She's not sure how to say something as simple as "yes".]

[Chekov isn't sure how to interpret her silence, so--]

One of my friends has left, also. I would like company.

I'm sorry. [She smiles sadly] Company would be great.

Thank you, Korra, but only if I won't bother you.

You're never a bother.

[It's a lie, but it's a lie from the heart. ~~Right now she's conveniently forgetting the times he does irritate her.~~]

That is appreciated. I will be there soon.

[He knows he bothers her sometimes. It's nice of her to lie.]

I'll be here.

[sadly]

[He isn't there with his accustomed speed, but there's eventually a knock on the door. Chekov will be outside with a covered plate and a forced smile.]

[Korra opens the door. Mako's scarf is still wrapped around her neck, covering half her face. She pulls it down just enough to give him a sad smile.]

Hey. Whatcha got there?

[She will be getting a hug as soon as he's not holding anything.]

Hello. [He pulls the cloth cover back slightly. Steam rises from pale... whatever-they-ares.] Golubtsy. My father made these for me sometimes when I was upset.

[She hugs him back, not one of her trademark bone crushing embraces, just quick and friendly, and then pulls away to look at the dish.]

Golubsee?

[Her uncertainty is obvious.]

[It is, sometimes, pleasant to hear someone mangling Russian. Makes Chekov feel better about his tendency to maim other languages.]

Beef wrapped in cabbage leaves--very easy to make. It's Russian comfort food, according to a friend at home.

[No, he doesn't really get the concept of comfort food. He does, however, notice that Korra's hug isn't nearly as spirited as usual.]

Would it be very stupid of me to ask how you are?

[She's still uncertain, but hey, it's the thought that counts.]

I've been better.

[She heads towards the couch and throws herself on it.]

What about you?

[He'll eat them if you don't, Korra.]

You will be better again.

[Chekov sets the golubtsy down and sits on the floor next to the couch.]

I'll be better again, too.

[Korra leans over and wraps her arms around his neck in an awkward hug.]

[He leans closer, but can't exactly reciprocate from his current position. Part of him wants to say something funny to lighten the moment; most of him would like to be quiet and sad with Korra for a moment.

Quiet wins.]

[It's not the kind of position that can be held for long, so Korra shortly lets go, but she remains close. She rests her arm close to the back of his head, just barely touching it -- a small, tactile reassurance that he's there and he's not leaving ~~yet~~.]

[This is good. Just not being alone counts for something.

Of course, Chekov can't be quiet indefinitely. He doesn't move, though.]

In Russia, Korra, there is a saying: "An old friend is better than two new ones." As wise as I think we Russians usually are, we made a mistake with that. [He fumbles for one of her hands.] Old friends are good, but I wouldn't trade you for even two of mine.

[Damn it, Chekov, you're going to make her cry. She smiles and holds his hand tight.]

I wouldn't either.

[One of the nice things about her tendency not to think is she doesn't worry about what might happen if she goes home and forgets him, or if she's offered the opportunity to go home and has to decide. If push came to shove, who knows what she would actually do, but right now, in this moment, she means every word of it.]

[He turns his head briefly to smile back.

Korra may not think ahead, but Chekov does. Forgetting people after the City is a real concern (given the choice, he wouldn't leave provided time at home would continue standing still relative to his temporal experience), as is being forgotten. Parting from friends, whether by leaving a universe or simply dying, is inevitable. Nothing--not even the stars and nebulae and time itself--lasts forever. What's important is using any time given wisely.

And maybe Korra won't mean what she says now later, but now matters more than the future.

He doesn't let go of her hand.]

[ Curious. Did her pet die? Did she lose another one of her powers? Did one of her friends flit away? An inner-voice wants to ask. It's a distant voice, and it resembles Huang's. He ignores it. You know. Much like he ignores Huang. But it gets louder and louder. ]

[ What the hell. Screw it. ]

Break a nail?

[ Compassion. Clearly Hei's metier. ]

[Korra is curious when she sees a message from Li. Nervous, too. She never knows what to expect from him.

She certainly wasn't expecting that.]

What?!

[ Sigh. Let's try again. People don't make sense. Emotions don't make sense. ]

Your device was on.

[ He throws this remark like an olive branch ahead of him. It's not apathy but interest -- not that anyone can tell the difference with Hei. ]

[You're the one who doesn't make sense, Li.

She just nods, too tired and sad to put up any kind of defense. She's glad to see him, in a weird way. Even stupid, confusing, frightening, maddening Li is better than being alone with her thoughts and her battered heart and the endless ticking of the clock.]

[ No explosion? She must be at the end of her tether to tolerate a bastard like him. He must be insane to start this conversation at all. He's so accustomed to being (pretending to be) a Contractor that being human feels unnatural. But the City is situational. Nothing is set in stone. Why focus on the psychological legerdemain? ]

[ Just go with it. ]

Did someone die?

[ It's more dry than cruel. ]

[Is it sick to say that would be better? She hates herself for even thinking that for a second, but it's true. At least then they'd be there. She wouldn't be alone.]

A friend of mine went home.

[Her last connection to home, except for Naga.]

[ Not sick. Expected. Death is final. Disappearance is not. He knows that because he's been wondering for five years whether Pai is alive or not. ]

Asami.

[ It's not a question. ]

[How did he -- Whatever.]

Yeah. It's just me now.

[No one left for him to use against her ~~except Chekov~~.]

[ He won't offer frou-frou commiserations. Please. The less liabilities to his cover, the better. Her friends were at the top of that list. They may return. They may not. At least that's not his problem now. ]

Find a way to stay busy.

[ To combat the ticking. To assuage the grief. She can take that either way. ]

...is this you being comforting?

[Not to impugn your comforting skills, sir. Mostly she's just confused that they're even having this conversation.]

[ Comforting? It takes a moment for the word to even register to Hei. He pauses, considering the range of options. Liar response. Jerk response. Honest response. He isn't sure what to say or even if he should say it. Is he trying to get rid of this girl or watch out for her? ]

[ And is this the way to do either of those things? ]

Is that what you want it to be?

[ If he aimed at comfort, he'd have expressed it with just a grunt. ]

I don't know.

[She doesn't know what she wants from him right now, or how she feels about him. He's not her friend. He's not her enemy. He's not nobody. He exists in a category all his own, impossible to define.]

[ An enemy can be as useful as a friend. It's all a matter of context. In Hei's line of work, the lines are hopelessly blurred anyway. That ambiguity she feels is something he deals with every day. ]

You're not sure of much, are you?

[ Very tactful, Hei. ]

Whose fault do you think that is?

[ Allow him to lob the blame back on your side of the net. ]

You're old enough to make up your own mind, Korra.

[ He'd endeavored from Day One to keep her at an arm's length from his business. But she's in knee-deep, now. She can either wade out, or sink in. Her call. ]

[She turns on the video to protest, and you can see that moment when she stops. He's right. She's old enough to make her own decisions. And until now, she always has. She can't blame him just because it'd be easier.

She still doesn't know what to think. She closes the device, not realizing this video would post.]

[ He's observed her well enough to form a private catalogue of her expressions. That'd be Look#23. The I Need To Think Face. ]

[ He resolves to let her do just that. The girl needs to take charge of her own life. ]

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