welcome to republic city | legend of korra one-shots

i want you safe | korra

Pairing: Korra x Nonbender!Reader

Word count: 1.1k

Summary: After you get injured by the Triple-Threat Triad, you're not pleased when Korra starts yelling at you about the danger you were just in.

Warnings: Mentions of injury, descriptions of pain from a broken bone

You'd never really broken a bone before, but you always assumed for some reason that it wouldn't hurt that bad. Like, yeah, you probably wouldn't be able to move the affected area because it had to set and heal properly, but beyond that, there couldn't be that much pain. Of course, you were wrong, but it didn't matter because this was all theoretical. Theoretically, you thought if you broke a leg bone or something, it couldn't hurt too much.

Much to your deep chagrin, this thought stopped being theoretical today.

"Ow!" you cried while Kya tried her best to be gentle with your arm as she fixed it back in place. You felt like you were sweating buckets from the agony and your eyes stung with tears, like the rest of your body was screaming in pain with you. "Ow, ow, ow, ow!"

When you resorted to biting down on the sleeve hem of your other arm to keep from screaming, she said, "Sorry, but I have to set it properly to make sure it'll heal properly."

Wincing, you just squeezed your eyes shut and tried to think of anything other than the pain you felt from the rock a Triple Threat hurled at you when you were fighting off one of his fellow gangsters from stealing from a shop owned by a defenceless non-bending young woman. You weren't a bender yourself, but you held your own in a fight until that stupid hunk of stone hit you in the arm hard enough and fast enough to break your radius or ulna or maybe both of those stupid, thin and fragile bones in your forearm. Spirits, it hurt like nothing you ever felt. When was Kya going to work her waterbending healing on you? At this point, you might have fainted before she could soothe your pain.

When the door to the room burst open, you flinched at the loud slam. Your head snapped over to the noise, and you saw Korra standing there. Your girlfriend's blue eyes were wide with alarm.

"(Y/n)," she said under her breath before she rushed over to you. Mindful of your broken forearm, she wrapped her arms around your shoulders and rested her cheek against the crown of your head. "You're okay! I got a call from Tenzin, and I thought—" She pulled away suddenly and asked, "What on Earth were you thinking, going up against the Triple Threats?!"

"Korra—" started Kya, before you interrupted.

"The shop owner wasn't a bender, she couldn't stop them on her own," you said in response. "I only did what you would have done."

She laughed, but there was no humor in it. "What I would have done? You can't do what I would have done. First of all, you can't bend either—"

"Oh, that's fantastic," you replied. "Can't do anything 'cause I'm not a bender like you!"

"I never said that!"

"You don't need to, I can hear it in your voice."

"Well, it would help to bend against benders," she said. "Especially the Triple Threats. Especially when you're outnumbered."

"Did you care about being outnumbered when you first came to—"

A whip of water lashed out between you and Korra, somehow making a cracking noise as it snapped in the air. You both watched the water retreat back into a pouch at Kya's side. "Listen, both of you. Whatever happened with the Triple Threats, it's over. I'm going to fix (Y/n)'s arm if you can give me a second, but fighting over it isn't doing anyone any good." She turned to Korra. "Just tell her you were worried about her." When she rounded on you, she said, "And you, just tell her you were scared and trying your best. That's what you both mean, anyway."

She dropped back into her chair at your side before she bent the water back out of the pouch again. "This might sting a little at first, but it'll feel better after that, okay?"

You nodded, and squeezed your eyes closed in anticipation of the initial pain as the water surrounded her hands. Suddenly, fingers were locking with the digits of your free hand, and you cracked an eye open to see Korra on your other side, holding your hand. Like Kya had said, there was a sting that reignited those initial sparks of pain you'd felt earlier, and you stiffened in response to it. Korra put her other arm around your head and pressed your head to her chest, resting her chin on top of it.

"You're okay, it's okay. Kya's got you," Korra reassured you.

"That she does," said Kya calmly. "Give it a second... there."

You relaxed in Korra's hold as a soothing coolness spread over your arm. It took you a moment to realize how tight you were holding your hand, and you relaxed that, too, flexing your fingers.

"I'm sorry," Korra said quietly, shifting to kiss the top of your head briefly as Kya did her work. "Overreacted a lot."

"Me too. Sorry." Leaning into her hold more, you said, "I wanted to help. Being around you, I just want to be brave, to do the right thing where I can. Like you."

When Korra laughed this time, you could hear the warmth in it. "Baby, I'm a hot mess. Don't do things you think I'd do just because I'd do it. Unless you're taking care of yourself - because I'd want you out of harm's way."

"If I see someone being hurt like today, then I don't want to stand by. It's not right. Not fair."

Korra ran her fingers through your hair while watching Kya work on repairing your broken bone. You were right, of course. Maybe she should have been glad to have a girlfriend who was willing to stand up and do good. But this - you getting hurt - couldn't happen. She couldn't risk it getting worse. Today, one broken bone. Tomorrow... She cringed inwardly at the sickening sound she once heard when she witnessed a Triple Threat Triad member's earthbending hit someone in the chest - hard.

"We'll talk with Asami and see about getting you a pair of those electric gloves she has," she said eventually. "For emergencies. And I'll teach you how to fight against other benders without getting hit. It's just... I want you safe. I was so scared."

You let go of her hand to rub your fingers up and down her upper arm. "I'll always come back to you, promise."

Korra forced a smile despite the pit of dread sitting in her stomach and making her feel queasy. "You better. And hey, don't do this again too much. This is a last resort type of thing. I've gotta be the stupid headstrong one here, that's my thing."

You laughed, too, and said, "And I want you safe, too. 'S not so fun being the one who worries."

"No, it's not," she said as she held you a little tighter.