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olivetreehugger · 2 months

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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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