Chapter 24

Now that she had time to think it over, Korra could admit it, if only to herself.

She didn’t like Xing leaving her.

She didn’t miss him, obviously. The absence of his constant presence was a great thing, and Korra could finally take things easier.

Sure, there was a bit of adjustment to be done, but Korra was old enough to make those adjustments to her life. Besides, it was childish of her to find reassurance in the shadows he once lurked in, especially when there were other White Lotus members staying in Air Temple Island who also managed security.

The lack of nagging was something that Korra also had to deal with, surprisingly. She had to pull back the impulse to comment at the snark that no longer came, now that the nitpicking presence no longer hovered over her. It goes to show how long she’d been dealing with Xing that she found that sort of scrutiny to be something to be missed.

No, Korra didn’t miss Xing leaving her, but she did take umbrage at how he left her. She’d been stuck with him for more than five years, having to put up with his smug, funless demeanor that was, according to the masters (even Katara), supposed to be a measure of how mature and dedicated Xing was to his duties.

Yet all it took was a bit of a quarrel outside of the White Lotus compound, and he quickly threw off his act and left to chase the lights and glitz of Republic City.

Tenzin hinted that it was probably something that’s been bubbling up for a while now, but Korra didn’t believe it. The Xing before was the type who grumbled and moaned uselessly, and with hindsight Korra could see that it’s to stay in the White Lotus’ good graces because he relied upon them for a place to stay. He even got his own personal room, away from the shared dorms every lower ranking White Lotus member had to stay in.

But now that he was out here, the ungrateful asshole decided to just throw it all away because he ‘had enough’ of being reminded that he didn’t hold as much authority as he liked to think he did. After all the lectures about discipline and commitment, Xing just quit the moment he was in a dazzling city with its promises of…things.

Hypocrite.

And of course he hopped over to the pretty face he met days earlier. No doubt he won her over with his facade of seriousness. The two-faced mink-snake probably hasn’t been nagging her much either as he tried to worm his way into a better position. Asami wasn’t as bright as Mako made her out to be then, to take Xing in as her assistant.

Unlike Tenzin, Korra was sure that the whole sponsorship scheme was Xing trying to prove a point to her, trying to lord his new position of authority over her. And she didn’t doubt that he was the one who masterminded the plot, either. It grated her nerves that the prick who supposedly quit any involvement with her turned back to spite her.

Tenzin and Mako might believe that there was nothing nefarious to the sponsorship, but they didn’t know Xing like Korra did. For all his recently revealed hypocrisy, he did have a tenacious streak. He liked harping on the same subjects, and like the whole thing about optimal bending stances, he could let an issue ferment for months before letting it blow up to smugly tell her ‘I told you so’.

If he wasn’t being so bloody obtuse with how he gave his advice, maybe she could bother trying to heed them.

So yes, Korra didn’t trust Xing to not be a vindictive asshole.

Which was why she took this opportunity to get a few things straight with Asami in a quieter corner of the hall.

“I’m surprised Xing’s still sticking with you. Or you’re still keeping him.”

“Sticking with me? What are you trying to insinuate?” the rich girl asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.

Korra kept herself from scoffing her words out. “It’s been, what, a month since Xing joined you?”

“Yes…?”

Now how to put things nicely to the rich girl who had little idea, but also controlled the purses of the Fire Ferrets?

“I’m just a bit surprised you’re lasting this long, that’s all.”

“Xing has been most helpful to Future Industries,” Asami simply replied, and the Avatar almost rolled her eyes.

“Is that really so, or is it what he wants you to think? Take it from me, Xing has a habit of just spouting stuff that sounds deep but doesn’t amount to much.”

Like his stupid approach to firebending. Xing can’t bend properly, yet he gets the masters to listen to his ‘chi flowing’ nonsense like he’s some sort of sage. They can’t even replicate the stuff he made up! Yet because of the way Xing so artfully arranged his words, the masters still somehow try to learn how to bend like a broken bender like it held some sort of deep secret.

The heiress began to frown. “I haven’t experienced that myself. His insights have already been very useful.”

Korra wanted to be skeptical, but the way Asami was taking affront made it seem like Xing had given major contributions already.

“Huh. I bet he’s finally able to apply all that reading he did.” Before he started tutoring and then shadowing Korra, Katara said Xing always spent his time in the archives reading up anything and everything he could. “I guess he finally got to put some of the old masters’ wisdom to use.”

For some reason, that annoyed Korra.

Asami remained unimpressed. “If he did, he has a unique method of applying his knowledge… The ideas he’s brought up are all quite groundbreaking.” The way she then smirked further annoyed Korra. “No offense to the wisdom of past masters, but the ideas he’s given us don’t seem like they’d be found in old texts… Otherwise we’d be seeing them implemented already.”

So…he’s coming up with new stuff, not just reciting stuff from dusty books?

Korra felt the annoyance writhe in her gut.

Well, it’s not like he could figure out good bending ideas, she reasoned. Makes sense that he only has good ideas for things outside of bending.

Taking some effort to remain composed, she gave the heiress a curt nod as she threw out a guess. “I suppose that makes up for him breathing down your neck, then.”

She did not like how Asami smiled. “Oh, no. I appreciate Xing’s diligent attention.”

Hah! She was right, Xing was probably playing nice and hasn’t been treating the rich girl like how he treated Korra.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“Heh. Wait ‘til he starts keeping watch outside your window while you sleep, or insist on tagging along literally everywhere you go.”

There was a flicker of something in Asami’s eyes before her smile grew. “Oh, I didn’t have any problems with that. After all, it’s a good sign that he’s taking his job seriously.”

Korra stared at the other girl with some disbelief. “What? You actually like having him creep around in the shadows?”

“It’s what he’s paid for,” the heiress replied, shrugging lightly. “Well, not exactly what he’s paid for, but him going above and beyond to watch over me makes me feel safer. Of course, I make sure to compensate him for his troubles appropriately.”

Something more than just annoyance wormed in Korra’s gut. Before she could process that, the rich girl’s face shifted into mild confusion.

“Wait…you said he keeps watch outside your window?” Oh, is she finally getting it in her head how ridiculous Xing was being?

“Yeah.”

“You live with the White Lotus?”

“Most times, yeah. I stay in their compound. It’s a place with guards already. Though, sometimes I go back with my parents.”

“And he follows you there.”

“Yeah,” Korra answered with some exasperation. “I mean yes, it doesn't have watchtowers nearby, but Wolf Cove has its own patrols.”

Then Asami’s features hardened, and Korra was surprised at the hostility peeking out from it. “And he keeps watch outside your home…in the South Pole.”

“Uh, yeah?”

The other girl seemed to pause to take in a breath for a moment. “You let him stay outside to watch you under all that snow?”

“It doesn’t snow all the time in the South Pole,” Korra quickly responded. “Besides, I told him he doesn’t need to keep breathing down my neck, but the guy refuses to go back to his own room for the night.”

“Did…did you at least offer to let him keep watch indoors?”

Ew. Korra instinctively flinched. The last thing she needed was having Xing loom over her while she slept.

Asami noted her expression, and then sighed out her next words. “Did you at least offer him some blankets? Hot drinks?”

“Pfft. It’s Xing. He came with all those set up. Even got the other White Lotus night patrols dropping by for drinks at times.”

Adding to Korra’s confusion, Asami’s left eye began twitching. “What?”

“And he’s been out in the elements watching over you…for five years?”

“Yeah. So?” Korra shrugged off the weird venom in the other girl’s words. She took the opportunity to glance behind her, and felt some relief that the rising tension hadn’t drawn anyone to creep closer to listen in on their conversation, though Tarrlok was taking his sweet time…

”It’s Xing being stubborn and stupid.”

Asami glared at her for a moment, before she deflated with disappointment. “You… That…explains so much. Poor Xing…”

‘Poor Xing’?

*****

“Uh, Xing?” Mako asked after finally slipping through the huddles of people to reach the guy.

Xing offered him a placid nod, then returned to the group of clearly powerful men and women to dismiss himself from their company.

“Is there something I can help you with, Mako?”

This had got to be an act, right?

Mako gave a discrete shift of his head towards the two women in the corner of the hall. Initially, their worrying encounter didn’t seem like much, but Mako couldn’t help but notice the rising stress in Korra’s pose, and the more subtle flicker of something more than mere annoyance emanating from Asami. “Uh, shouldn’t you be…”

Xing’s didn’t even follow the movement. “It’s not my place to intervene in Asami’s and Korra’s conversation. If anything, my presence might exacerbate things.”

“Are you sure? I mean, you’re her aide, aren’t you supposed to stop things from escalating?”

“Either of us trying to cut their meeting short might do just that. Unless things look like they’d go beyond just words, it’s better to let them have their talk.”

“But-”

Xing shook his head. “With Korra, I’ve learned that unless you can prevent her from initiating in the first place, it’s often…less messy to deal with the cleanup than interfering. She’ll be more in control of her words than if her hackles have been raised…for whatever that’s worth.”

Wow. That did not sound reassuring at all.

“What about Asami?”

For some reason the guy then had to adopt a…proud air. “She’s far more experienced in this sort of social situation than myself, unless she asks for my assistance or things become physical I have no reason to intercede on her behalf. They’re not drawing much attention as is, so it’s best to leave them to it. And besides…”

Mako didn’t like the brief smirk that flashed on Xing’s face.

“I’m no longer her aide, so it’d be even worse if I joined in the fray.”

Huh? If he’s not her aide, what’s he doing here?

*****

“Hey, he’s the one who’s so adamant about not taking a break. I’m not the one stopping him from making friends.”

Korra didn’t get it, why was Asami getting all pissy because Xing was so stuck up? It’s not like-

And then some things clicked for her, and her annoyance flared. “Oh, I get it…”

“What?” Now it was Asami’s turn to experience confusion, and it was hard not to savor that.

Korra let out a heavy sigh. “The Xing you know and the Xing I know are different people.”

Asami’s eyes narrowed sharply. “And what’s that supposed to mean?” she almost hissed.

“No offense. I mean, you see him as this exotic and helpful White Lotus guy. And he is, I guess.”

Taking advantage of the attention Asami was giving her, Korra fought down the urge to preen before the sheltered, rich girl.

“I mean, I’m the Avatar, so there’s only so much he can do for me. Xing’s good at calming down…uh, unreasonable people-” Maybe because he’s just like them? “But beyond that, I can look after myself better than he can. I don’t really need him keeping watch all the time. I’m not being mean here, but he can’t bend very well. Literally. Ask him about it if you haven’t. If anything, I’m the one who has to protect Xing if trouble really shows up.”

Like that time with the gangsters when they first came to Republic City.

And judging by the way Asami’s face scrunched up, she hadn’t bothered to ask about the bending.

Korra remembered her manners and stopped herself from pointing directly at the other girl. “On the other hand, out here, he gets to be more useful. He gets to put all his library time to good use, and actually look after people who could use his protection.” Broken bending or not, he was…decent in non-bending martial arts. Yes, she’s never beaten him in a non-bending spar, but that’s a moot thing as she could just throw all three elements at him.

No wonder Xing liked it in Republic City as a mere servant to a rich girl; he finally gets to feel really useful.

Korra didn’t know how to feel about that.

Nor did she know why Asami was glaring daggers at her right now.

“I did not hire Xing to waste his talents as a mere bodyguard,” the heiress said through the harsh glare and barely moving lips. “And-”

“Attention everyone, may I have your attention please!”

Korra didn’t know whether to sigh in relief or shout in rage when Tarrlok announced his return. Both girls snapped their heads towards the beaming councilman on the other side of the room while he beckoned everyone towards him. “I have it on good authority that our fete shall be beginning shortly. My apologies for the delay.”

He then scanned the room before grinning as he found Korra. “Ah, Avatar Korra. Would you mind following me for a moment?”

Korra nodded silently and made to move, but not before receiving a final glare from Asami. “Xing is far more than the burden you make him out to be,” she hissed. “And neither are all of us so helpless just because we’re not the Avatar.”

Stunned for a moment, Korra watched as the heiress all but stomped off, the crowd instinctively parting before her as she went straight for Xing and pulled him along with her. Mako, who was standing with Xing, gave the parting couple a look, and then directed a wide-eyed stare at Korra’s way, who rolled her eyes at his panic.

Whatever. If Asami wants to be childish and threaten the sponsorship because of this, then Korra will deal with it.

Korra made her way to Tarrlok, though she regretted it instantly the moment he ushered her upstairs so she could look down at the gathering reporters that had suddenly infiltrated the hall. Korra was suddenly reminded that one of Xing’s more useful niches was in handling social situations. Shoving down the urge to scowl, the Avatar faced the reporters as calmly as she could muster.

She didn’t need Xing for this, she convinced herself.

“Avatar Korra, you’ve witnessed Amon taking people’s bending firsthand. How serious a threat does he pose to the innocent citizens of Republic City?”

And kept convincing herself as she faced their barrage of questions.

*****

Mako didn’t have to pay attention to Korra to tell that she was getting flustered by the journos. Nursing a drink, he sighed as he glanced at the exit where Asami had just dragged Xing through, and then looked for Bolin, who turns out was obliviously enjoying the attention of a gaggle of socialites.

Fuck, maybe he’ll have to break the bad news to Korra tomorrow.

And hopefully Asami’s riled state wouldn’t transfer to Xing, the new director of Future Media…and the guy who now seemed likely to hold the strings to the Fire Ferrets’ publicity.

Mako gulped down his drink, and then sought out his brother. Maybe Bolin’s oh-so-loveable face would help soften the blow… Or could he get Hahn to do it?