You and I [Desami Fanfiction]

Chapter 15: Republic City

Asami

That night, despite everything, I got the best sleep I had in ages. Maybe it was the feeling of safety I had for the first time. All the guilt, all my worries, everything seemed to wash away when Desna came.

And then the next morning, it all came back up. “Oh god, Mako,” I say to myself in a panic. What had I done? I had just spent the night in Desna’s arms when I had kissed Mako not two days ago.

I knew that Desna had a right to know this, but I couldn’t tell him just yet. He had just got here, and I knew he needed me to be there for him. So I was going to do just that.

Desna was already up when I finally came out of my room. He had helped himself to a cup of coffee and was admiring the city from my window. The morning light gave his skin a shining quality.

“It’s beautiful,” he comments without looking at me.

I come to his side. “Yeah, I guess it is. I feel like I hardly have time to look at it anymore.”

“I know the feeling. Once you see something so many times, it just starts to become ordinary,” he says. I get the feeling he’s not just talking about the view anymore. Still, we both stand there, still watching it.

“How long are you going to be here for?” I ask finally. The question had been eating away at me all morning, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear the answer. Still, I brought myself to ask him.

“A week, probably,” he answers.

“A week?” I repeat, saddened by this news. Still, some time was better than no time.

“Maybe less. I told Eska to write if she needed me, so we’ll see,” he tells me, sounding sad.

“Well, then, we better do something,” I say.

He raises his eyebrows. “Like what?”

“I could show you a tour of Bolin’s filming studio. He’s starring in one of Varrick’s movers, but the set will be empty today,” I say.

He shrugs. “As long as you’re there, it’ll be great.”

I feel myself blush as I lead Desna out the door and down the busy city streets.

Desna

Asami takes my hand and leads me through the city. It’s all a bit of a blur, and I can’t remember seeing any of it before. The filming studio, where I must have been near before, isn’t too far away.

Asami does a quick check to see that it’s deserted and then takes me inside.

She flips a huge switch, and the whole room lights up. There’s camera equipment on one side of the room, and a big “snow” covered tarp on the other end. Above the fake snow is a huge blue backdrop, which I suppose is the South Pole.

All around the room there are boxes of explosives and ropes and lights.

“This is incredible,” I tell Asami.

“Isn’t it? You should see the movers. They look so cool,” she says.

I continue to look around, my eyes taking everything in.

“The costume room is over here,” Asami explains, walking off down a hallway. I trail behind her, still looking at everything. She opens a door and inside is racks of clothes, with everything from snowsuits to guard helmets. There are a few costumes that appear to be for animals, too.

“Wow,” I say, digging through one of the racks.

Asami pulls out some skimpy shorts covered in fur with a matching vest. “This is Bolin’s outfit. He plays Nuktuk, hero of the South.”

I laugh a little at the clothes. “He saves the South in this?” I ask, taking the outfit from her.

“What would you save the South in?” she asks, poking my chest.

“Something a lot less…feminine,” I reply.

For a moment she looks offended. “I’ll have you know, Nutuk also has to save the beautiful Ginger,” she replies. I can tell by her voice that she really isn’t into the whole mover.

“See that’s where he went wrong,” I begin, wrapping my arms around Asami’s waist. “I wouldn’t be saving my damsel.” Asami looks up at me curiously. “She’d be by my side.”

She smiles at me, and I decide now is as good a time as any to kiss her. After all, we had yet to just kiss without some giant burden holding us back.

I lean down and close my eyes slowly. I feel her lips meet mine. They’re soft and gentle like her, but also strong enough to support themselves. I move my mouth slowly against hers, taking it all in.

I’m still wrapped up in her kiss when I hear the door fly open. By instinct I jump away and turn towards the door. Asami, who seemed to be in a bit of a haze, looks too.

“What is going on in here?” a man with a small mustache and a squared chin demands.

Varrick.

I hadn’t seen the wealthy entrepernuer since he left the Southern Water Tribe a week ago. Varrick stood gaping at us. Neither Asami nor I knew what to say. Finally, Asami spoke up.

“Varrick, it’s not what it looks like,” she says.

“Really? Because it looks like you’re in my costume room canoodling with some guy off the streets!” he shouts, motioning towards me.

I’m too stunned to argue with this. Does he really not recognize me? We had met a few times, but only when he had an arranged meeting with my father, and neither of them paid much attention to me.

“My apologies, sir,” I say quickly. He raises an eyebrow at me, but Asami quickly grabs my arm.

“Sorry, Varrick! It won’t happen again!” she tells him, pulling me out the door.

He only nods. “It better not, Sato. And don’t worry, Mako won’t be hearing about this from me.” He gives her a quick wink leaving me more questions than ever.