whitelotusmods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
whitelotusmods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
white_lotus2013-02-20 05:57 pm
whitelotusmods) wrote in white_lotus2013-02-20 05:57 pm
LNYE Fic: Talk and Tea, for such_heights
Title: Talk and Tea
Author:rosabelle
Recipient: such_heights
Summary: Korra follows Asami one night, and finds Lin instead.
Words: 1160
Content Notes: None
Talk and Tea
Bei Fong's living room wasn't what Korra would have expected, had she ever spared it any mind. She thought of it now, as she cast around surreptitious glances from her seat on a comfortable cushion. She wouldn't have thought that the woman who seemingly wore only her armor and a dull brown overcoat would desire anything colorful. The cushions were a rich, vibrant green, neatly arranged around a table (that nothing was out of place surprised Korra not in the least). The curtains were a more lively green, hiding the finely wrought metal shutters that barred the windows. They fit seamlessly together; no one would be able to peek into this house.
Korra knew, because she'd tried.
Outside, flowering plants grew in all colors from vivid red to pink to pale blue and maybe there had been some delicate yellow blossoms but it had been hard to tell in the dark. Korra knew, because she'd been trampling through them when the door had opened and a familiar metal cable had snaked around her wrist and yanked her inside.
And that was how Korra discovered that Lin Bei Fong wore a ferocious scowl even when she was barefoot in clothes clearly designed for comfort and not for battle.
"Well?" Her displeasure was clear as she regarded Korra. "Might I know why in the world you were skulking around outside my house in the middle of the night?"
"I... er." Korra grinned at her sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. "I didn't know it was your house, if that makes you feel any better."
"It doesn't."
Right. That was fair. "Okay," she said. "I'll tell you."
"I would appreciate that."
"Ever since... you know, Amon," Korra began, hard-pressed even after several weeks not to shudder, "I've noticed Asami acting... strange. And at first I thought it was because of her father--which is totally understandable, but then she started disappearing overnight and I... was worried."
"So you followed her."
"That's right."
"I see," Bei Fong said, and Korra was almost--but not quite--too anxious to miss her dry tone and the slight twitch of her lips. Their eyes met briefly across the table; Korra looked away awkwardly and Bei Fong just shook her head. "If it will set your mind at ease to know, Korra, your friend Miss Sato is in my employ."
Ha. She'd been right, to think that Bei Fong was starting to warm up to her--she was "Korra" now, instead of "Avatar".
"But how?" she asked. "You're out of a job yourself."
Bei Fong sighed, and Korra winced. That was probably enough to kill the warmth right there.
"Not that it's any of your business," Bei Fong informed her, "but I am the only daughter of the only daughter of the wealthiest family in Gaoling, and my mother has little use for money. I don't lack for funds."
"Oh," Korra said. She hadn't expected Bei Fong to be rich, either. "Sooo. Where is Asami, anyway? What are you paying her for?"
Bei Fong gave her a long look. "I suppose you'll find out sooner or later," she said. "Tea?"
Korra stared. "Asami makes you tea?"
She would've sworn that strangled sound Bei Fong made was a smothered laugh. "No," she said, far too patiently. "Would you like some tea?"
"Sure," Korra said. "That'd be swell."
At first they sat in contemplative silence, each sipping hot tea, with Bei Fong staring into nothing somewhere over Korra's shoulder. "I've decided not to return to the force," she said at last. "I believe that as of now, I'm more useful to Republic City in... other capacities."
"Other capacities?" Korra repeated.
"The chief of police must abide by the law," Bei Fong said. "I'm no longer chief of police, and I've discovered that the law can be somewhat... limiting."
"So much for "you can't dole out vigilante justice like you own the place", then?" Korra set her cup down and leaned forward, interested. "What changed your mind? Can I join?"
"No," Bei Fong said, sounding truly steely for the first time all night. "You certainly can't. And as for your other question, it's become clear to me that the citizens of Republic City are more vulnerable than I ever realized."
"But if you let Asami--"
"Korra," Bei Fong said, more gently. "However misplaced you and I may think it is, Asami feels guilt for what Hiroshi Sato did to this city. She wants to help it heal, and there's more work to be done than I can do alone, but you are the Avatar. You of all people can't run around flouting the law willy-nilly, and when would you even have the time? I know Tenzin means to double your training now that you've unlocked your airbending, and I assume you intend to return to pro-bending."
"Well, yeah, but--hey." Korra frowned. "Tenzin's doubling my training? He told you that?"
That earned her a glare, though it was decidedly more amused than not. Korra forced herself back to the matter at hand. "I want to help too," she said. "At least somehow. Even with Asami's help, it's too much for two people to do."
Bei Fong sipped her tea. "I'll take it under consideration," she said at last. "In the meantime, you are not to wander the streets of Republic City on your own looking for trouble, am I clear on that?"
"Understood," Korra said quickly, because it was clearly better to agree than not. She'd decide later whether she meant to follow the directive or not. "Where is Asami, anyway? You never said."
That was definitely a smile she saw, however small, curving across Bei Fong's mouth. "I have my metalbending, but she needs her own transportation. We've been brainstorming some improvements to the Satomobile. She's taking it for a test drive. She's quite a driver."
"Yes." Korra couldn't help laughing, remembering first the blend of exhilaration and sheer terror she'd felt the first time Asami had taken her racing and then what it had been like to go out on patrol with Asami driving. "You won't find anyone better, that's for sure."
"She should be back shortly," Bei Fong said. "At which point, the two of you should see yourselves back to Air Temple Island; it's late, and don't think that Tenzin and Pema don't notice you sneaking off. They'll be worried."
Korra winced. There was truth in that.
"So," she said casually, as much to distance herself from the guilt as to pester Bei Fong for the sake of it, "you think while we wait for Asami, you could maybe give me some pointers on metalbending?"
Bei Fong only poured herself another cup of tea, refusing to dignify the question with an answer. Korra drained the remainder of her own tea, unfazed. She'd have plenty of time to talk Bei Fong into the idea if they were going to be working together.
Author:
rosabelleRecipient: such_heights
Summary: Korra follows Asami one night, and finds Lin instead.
Words: 1160
Content Notes: None
Talk and Tea
Bei Fong's living room wasn't what Korra would have expected, had she ever spared it any mind. She thought of it now, as she cast around surreptitious glances from her seat on a comfortable cushion. She wouldn't have thought that the woman who seemingly wore only her armor and a dull brown overcoat would desire anything colorful. The cushions were a rich, vibrant green, neatly arranged around a table (that nothing was out of place surprised Korra not in the least). The curtains were a more lively green, hiding the finely wrought metal shutters that barred the windows. They fit seamlessly together; no one would be able to peek into this house.
Korra knew, because she'd tried.
Outside, flowering plants grew in all colors from vivid red to pink to pale blue and maybe there had been some delicate yellow blossoms but it had been hard to tell in the dark. Korra knew, because she'd been trampling through them when the door had opened and a familiar metal cable had snaked around her wrist and yanked her inside.
And that was how Korra discovered that Lin Bei Fong wore a ferocious scowl even when she was barefoot in clothes clearly designed for comfort and not for battle.
"Well?" Her displeasure was clear as she regarded Korra. "Might I know why in the world you were skulking around outside my house in the middle of the night?"
"I... er." Korra grinned at her sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. "I didn't know it was your house, if that makes you feel any better."
"It doesn't."
Right. That was fair. "Okay," she said. "I'll tell you."
"I would appreciate that."
"Ever since... you know, Amon," Korra began, hard-pressed even after several weeks not to shudder, "I've noticed Asami acting... strange. And at first I thought it was because of her father--which is totally understandable, but then she started disappearing overnight and I... was worried."
"So you followed her."
"That's right."
"I see," Bei Fong said, and Korra was almost--but not quite--too anxious to miss her dry tone and the slight twitch of her lips. Their eyes met briefly across the table; Korra looked away awkwardly and Bei Fong just shook her head. "If it will set your mind at ease to know, Korra, your friend Miss Sato is in my employ."
Ha. She'd been right, to think that Bei Fong was starting to warm up to her--she was "Korra" now, instead of "Avatar".
"But how?" she asked. "You're out of a job yourself."
Bei Fong sighed, and Korra winced. That was probably enough to kill the warmth right there.
"Not that it's any of your business," Bei Fong informed her, "but I am the only daughter of the only daughter of the wealthiest family in Gaoling, and my mother has little use for money. I don't lack for funds."
"Oh," Korra said. She hadn't expected Bei Fong to be rich, either. "Sooo. Where is Asami, anyway? What are you paying her for?"
Bei Fong gave her a long look. "I suppose you'll find out sooner or later," she said. "Tea?"
Korra stared. "Asami makes you tea?"
She would've sworn that strangled sound Bei Fong made was a smothered laugh. "No," she said, far too patiently. "Would you like some tea?"
"Sure," Korra said. "That'd be swell."
At first they sat in contemplative silence, each sipping hot tea, with Bei Fong staring into nothing somewhere over Korra's shoulder. "I've decided not to return to the force," she said at last. "I believe that as of now, I'm more useful to Republic City in... other capacities."
"Other capacities?" Korra repeated.
"The chief of police must abide by the law," Bei Fong said. "I'm no longer chief of police, and I've discovered that the law can be somewhat... limiting."
"So much for "you can't dole out vigilante justice like you own the place", then?" Korra set her cup down and leaned forward, interested. "What changed your mind? Can I join?"
"No," Bei Fong said, sounding truly steely for the first time all night. "You certainly can't. And as for your other question, it's become clear to me that the citizens of Republic City are more vulnerable than I ever realized."
"But if you let Asami--"
"Korra," Bei Fong said, more gently. "However misplaced you and I may think it is, Asami feels guilt for what Hiroshi Sato did to this city. She wants to help it heal, and there's more work to be done than I can do alone, but you are the Avatar. You of all people can't run around flouting the law willy-nilly, and when would you even have the time? I know Tenzin means to double your training now that you've unlocked your airbending, and I assume you intend to return to pro-bending."
"Well, yeah, but--hey." Korra frowned. "Tenzin's doubling my training? He told you that?"
That earned her a glare, though it was decidedly more amused than not. Korra forced herself back to the matter at hand. "I want to help too," she said. "At least somehow. Even with Asami's help, it's too much for two people to do."
Bei Fong sipped her tea. "I'll take it under consideration," she said at last. "In the meantime, you are not to wander the streets of Republic City on your own looking for trouble, am I clear on that?"
"Understood," Korra said quickly, because it was clearly better to agree than not. She'd decide later whether she meant to follow the directive or not. "Where is Asami, anyway? You never said."
That was definitely a smile she saw, however small, curving across Bei Fong's mouth. "I have my metalbending, but she needs her own transportation. We've been brainstorming some improvements to the Satomobile. She's taking it for a test drive. She's quite a driver."
"Yes." Korra couldn't help laughing, remembering first the blend of exhilaration and sheer terror she'd felt the first time Asami had taken her racing and then what it had been like to go out on patrol with Asami driving. "You won't find anyone better, that's for sure."
"She should be back shortly," Bei Fong said. "At which point, the two of you should see yourselves back to Air Temple Island; it's late, and don't think that Tenzin and Pema don't notice you sneaking off. They'll be worried."
Korra winced. There was truth in that.
"So," she said casually, as much to distance herself from the guilt as to pester Bei Fong for the sake of it, "you think while we wait for Asami, you could maybe give me some pointers on metalbending?"
Bei Fong only poured herself another cup of tea, refusing to dignify the question with an answer. Korra drained the remainder of her own tea, unfazed. She'd have plenty of time to talk Bei Fong into the idea if they were going to be working together.