Relationships

Koda was washing his face in the task force's HQ.

He looked up from the mirror and saw the dark rings under his eyes from the lack of sleep he's gotten in the last week.

The reason he was working so much was because of her breakdown, Korra wanted some space from the whole task force thing.

It didn't save him as he had to keep up appearances for the public eye.

In this last week, they had done about nine raids on suspected chi blocker training groups, Equalist supporters, and the occasional wild goose chase.

It also didn't help that he had to train his fellow earthbenders on how to counter chi blockers, but he agreed to it as it would help in the future.

He finally got to sit down when a voice broke him from his peace.

"Ah, Beifong. Excellent work as always." Said the voice of Tarrlok.

Koda turned lazily to him and stared, "Tarrlok."

Tarrlok gave a smug grin, "You seem… tired." He said in his usual smug tone.

Koda rolled his eyes, "Was that your first clue? The dark rings under my eyes or the fact I look dead?" Koda said rudely. 'Man I wanna strangle this dumb cunt...' Koda thought.

Tarrlok waved his finger. Oh how Koda wanted to crush that finger.

"Now now Beifong, just because you've had a lack of sleep, it doesn't mean you can snap at people." he said in a condescending tone.

'I want to snap something alright.' Koda thought in anger.

"It's a shame that Avatar Korra isn't here." Tarrlok said with annoyance.

Koda grinned, "Easy Tarrlok, she joined the fire ferrets long before your task force." He said

Tarrlok glared at him for the remark. Koda has been pretty snappy every time the councilman has annoyed him.

"Still, her responsibility to the city is more important than pro-bending." Tarrlok said

"She needs some down time too." He said, 'like me!' Koda shouted in his mind.

"Ah, that reminds me. You've been doing such great work that I thought I would let you know that you can take a few days off to go watch Avatar Korra's pro-bending matches." Tarrlok said with a smile.

Koda raised an eyebrow at the man, wondering why he was being nice, "...Thanks. Anyway, how goes the interrogation of those chi blockers?" Koda asked with intrigue.

Tarrlok sighed in anger, "They are very tight lipped about Amon and far too loyal to even talk." He said

Koda snorted, "Have my mother interrogate them. If they don't talk after that then I don't know what will get them talking." Koda said with some amusement and he stood up and started walking away.

"I'll consider it." Tarrlok said in a thinking position.

…

In Republic City, snow is falling outside and in the pro-bending arena in the gym Korra is handling a blob of water and then splits it into two. She then rapidly launches small water bullets in different directions while Bolin raises his right hand to make an earth disc follow his motion. He made it hover in front of him. He throws it at Korra who launches the water blob at the earth disc making Bolin stumble back but then Mako twists around and vaporizes the water with a fire arc and delivers two fire punches.

Bolin uses an earth disc but Mako destroys it with a fire blast but Korra fires water bullets at Mako who jumps over it while Bolin throws an earth disc at Korra who shields herself with water from a nearby tank. Mako fires a blast of flames at the two but they both block with their respective elements but a second fire blasts hits Bolin in the stomach and he is flung backwards. He later falls down but he launches an earth disc at Korra who directs the water blob away. The blob gets hit by the earth disc and she's hit in the stomach but the water hits Mako straight in the face flinging him to the ground but they all sit up and laugh and Mako stands up while taking off his helmet.

"It's been great having you at so many back-to-back practices, Korra." Mako said.

"Feels good to be back, although Tarrlok isn't too happy about my leave of absence." Korra said.

"Hey, you joined the Fire Ferrets before you joined his task force." Bolin said.

"I do feel a lot better." Korra said.

"Okay, come on, team huddle time!" Mako said as he, Korra, and Bolin got into a huddle position.

Bolin smiles at Korra who smiles at Mako who smiles at the three.

"It's our first match of the tournament tonight. I know the three of us haven't been a team very long, but even so, the Fire Ferrets have never been this good. Are we ready?" Mako asked.

"We're ready!" Korra and Bolin said.

"Not quite." A voice said and they turned to see Asami and Koda walking into the practice room with the Future Industries sponsored gear. "You'll need these." Asami said, holding up a shirt with the Future Industries logo on it.

"Hey, Asami." Mako said.

"Good morning, sweetie." Asami said, making Korra annoyed while Koda looks at Mako with a smirk and mouths 'take her to bed.' Mako blushes at Koda's teasing.

"These new uniforms look great!" Mako said.

"YOU look great, champ!" Asami said and they eskimo kiss, making Bolin have a 'Really?' look on his face, Mako turns to them.

"Well, teammates and Koda, I'll see you before the match tonight. Asami and I have a lunch date." Mako said as they left.

"Okay, we'll check you guys later, you know, we'll see ya when we see ya." Bolin said, waving at the two.

"Korra c'mon let's go," Koda said.

"Right," Korra said, picking her bag up.

"So, Korra. There they go, here we are, all alone in the gym." Bolin said.

"Koda's here too, you know." Korra said.

"Oh, yeah. I knew that. Here we are, the three of us. Together." Bolin said.

"Look, we need to head back to Air Temple Island so Korra can continue her Airbending training with my dad." Koda said.

"Yeah. I gotta get back to doing it. See ya!" Korra said as they leave and Bolin is now alone and he's disappointed at his failed attempt.

…

Bolin was in the process of trying to wash Pabu, but the fire ferret didn't want to.

"So what do you think of Korra… in a girlfriend sort of way?" Bolin asked

Mako shrugged, "I don't know. Sure she's a good person, a great athlete, and an Avatar, but she seems to have a thing for Koda." He replied

Bolin stopped struggling with Pabu and turned to his brother, "What do you mean?"

Mako was busy cooking to see his brother's face, "I mean, the way she sometimes stares at him when he isn't looking or during some of our training practices when she does something good she looks right at him as he congratulates her. Not to mention he's known her before us and the fact that they live together at the air temple."

As Mako said each thing, Bolin's face dropped more and more.

"So what does he have that I don't?" Bolin asked in indignation.

"Well… do want me to say it?" Mako asked in an unsure way.

"Yes." The earthbender said in annoyance.

"Status, money, looks, fame, power, personality, connections, and a high paying job. Also he's a war veteran and the Grandson of Toph, Katara, and Avatar Aang," Mako said as he read off the list in his mind.

"So what! Korra and I are perfect for each other. She's strong, I'm strong. She's fun, I'm fun. She's beautiful, I'm gorgeous!" Bolin exclaimed.

"You know what? I don't care what you think. I'm going to ask her out." the younger brother said.

Mako sighed, "I think it's just a bad idea to date a teammate, especially during the tournament. Keep your head out of the clouds and your priorities straight, ok?" he ordered, "I also don't want to see you heartbroken Bo."

"Yeah yeah, I know." Bolin said and he held up Pabu, "You know what I'm talking about Pabu. I'm talking about real love." He whispered to the fire ferret, who squeaked in return.

…

Korra and the Airbending kids were in the Air Temple filling the feeders of the lemurs. Jinora, hoping to figure out Korra's feelings towards Koda, started talking. "So Korra, how are things going on with you and Koko? You guys have been spending a lot of time together lately."

"Oh yes, tell us all about the magical romance between you and Koko!" Ikki shouted in excitement. The girls were curious about the relationship between their brother and Korra

The question was so out of nowhere Korra had trouble answering. "Wh-What are you guys talking about? There's n-nothing going on between me and Koda," she stated as her cheeks acquired a faint shade of red.

In reality, Korra had been wondering about how she felt towards Koda for the past few days. The problem was that she kept debating herself when she tried to decide whether she liked him or not. So many questions pondered in her head, and whenever she answered one, ten other questions took its place. This had to be one of those so-called 'girl problems' she had heard about.

"Is that so?"

"Pema!" Korra shouted in panic as she saw Tenzin's wife approaching her with a knowing smile.

"Sorry, but I overheard you speaking about your unacknowledged feelings towards Koko and I simply had to step in. Jinora and Ikki are still too young to have this conversation, but they'll eventually grow old enough to hear it, so I might as well practice it with you now."

"But I don't like Koda. I mean he's a great friend and all but... but..." Korra said as she struggled to put her thoughts into words.

Of course, Pema saw right through her. "Ikki, Jinora, can you please leave Korra and I alone? We need to talk about some things," The girls obliged, but not before bickering about 'things being unfair' and 'finding out one way or another'. When Pema was sure they were alone, she turned to face Korra. "Look Korra, you really need to realize that you like Koda."

"It's... It's just that I don't know if I like him, Pema," Korra started to say. "Every time I think about it, I get more confused and..."

"Korra, think about all the things you two have gone through ever since you met him. In all of that time, haven't you ever felt different around him? Haven't you ever wished to be more than friends with him?"

The Avatar took a deep breath and began remembering all of the special moments she shared with Koda. Despite not knowing each other for a long period of time, they certainly had experienced quite a lot of stuff that most people wouldn't. Some of those experiences were deeper and more meaningful than others, but at the end of the day, they all amounted to something.

One thing Korra couldn't deny was that Koda was attractive. His black hair, his fair skin, his really muscular body, and his grey blue eyes were one heck of a combo. His handsome facial features had caught her attention the moment she met him during her first day in Republic City. Besides, considering that he was an active member of the Metalbending Police Force and a former soldier of the United Forces, it was fair to assume that he was in good physical shape, a trait which girls were always interested in.

He also seemed to know her better than most people, although that wasn't really a surprise as they had spent a good amount of time together. Koda was smart, and he could tell from the beginning that she was scared of Amon despite her constantly claiming otherwise. He also understood that she wanted some freedom and received his support even if he didn't fully agree with her decisions, something she had always found warm and thoughtful.

What truly made Korra look at Koda with different eyes was the night during which she challenged Amon and, when all seemed lost, he came to her rescue. Despite being at an enormous disadvantage, Koda never hesitated and not only was he able to take down twenty chi-blockers on his own, he then stepped forward and dared Amon to harm her, fully knowing that the leader of the Equalist revolution had the ability to take away his bending. He was the one that was there for her when she finally broke down in tears, something she hadn't done in a long, long time. For some reason, Korra was certain that Koda wouldn't hesitate to drop whatever he was doing and come to her aid whenever she needed it, which gave her a sense of security she had never felt before.

Then there were other moments that wear clear signs, like that time when she got jealous of Asami for hugging Koda, or that other time when she got extremely flustered when, after spending the night in the park, she woke up with her face just mere inches away from his. Any other person would've realized what was going on, but Korra was still a bit dense when it came to her feelings, thanks to the years of training she went through during her time back in the South Pole. Naga was her best and only friend (given how Katara was more of a grandmother figure), and a Polar Bear Dog wasn't going to help you much with that kind of problems.

Pema had to hide a smirk as she said the following words. "Let me rephrase the question: How would you feel if Koda suddenly walked up here holding hands with, say, Asami? If they began to hug and kiss one another forehead right in front of us, would it affect you?"

It worked like a charm. The mental image of Koda doing those things with Asami made her whole body tense. She tightened her fists and a thick vein grew on one of her temples. Obviously, she knew that would never happen given how Asami was dating Mako, and besides, they stated they never had any intentions of dating one another despite being close friends. But she simply couldn't help it. Just thinking about it irritated her to no end.

And that was when she realized: The only girl she wanted for Koda to kiss, hug, and hold hands together... was her.

"Okay, you got me. I... I guess I do like him after all," Korra said in a whisper.

"See? That wasn't so hard, now was it?" Pema teased.

Korra suddenly felt nervous. "But... What if he doesn't like me back? I don't want to lose our friendship," she said with her face down. If Koda didn't feel the same, their relationship would be ruined and all of their future interactions together would become incredibly awkward. The thought of being rejected scared her in a different way than Amon did.

Pema placed both her hand on Korra's shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile. "Korra, I have no doubt that Koda feels the same as you. I've seen the way he looks at you, and besides, I don't think someone like Koda would go through everything he has done for you so far if you weren't special to him. You just have to let him know how you feel."

"You really think so?"

"I know so. After all, he is my husband's eldest son."

Korra looked up and her face brightened up considerably, feeling in pretty high spirits now that she knew what she had to do. "Thank you Pema, I don't know what I would do without you."

After a brief hug, the Avatar spun around and stared at the boys' dormitory, where Koda currently was. The young officer came back early from work and went straight to his room to get some well-earned rest. If she were to guess, Koda was going to spend the rest of the day sleeping, and in case he didn't, Korra was smart enough to realize that the exhausted earthbender wanted nothing to do with the world right now.

She would have to wait for her chance tomorrow... right before her Pro-bending game.

…

"Man, this is just what I needed," Koda said to himself, a relaxed smile adorning his face.

After sleeping all the hours that his job as an Officer of the Police Department and a member of Tarrlok's task force had deprived him of, Koda woke up in the morning and enjoyed a long, long bath with steaming hot water. He felt so relaxed that he accidentally ended up sleeping another extra hour with a towel on his face. Of course, he made sure to clean the room before leaving as he didn't want the acolytes to do extra work because of him.

The breakfast was incredible. After days and days of eating takeaway food, Koda could finally enjoy a proper home-cooked meal by Pema, who was undoubtedly better than Lin in the kitchen, not that he would ever say it to her face. He even prepared some of his coffee which he was currently enjoying outside.

Koda finished reading the letter sent to him from the Police Station and sighed. Apparently, one of the new recruits screwed up big time during an assignment and was punished with a week-long ban from the force without his salary. Luckily for Koda, the paperwork was already finished, but his signature was missing, so he had to go down there and do a bit of work. As soon as he was done signing documents, he would go back to the Air Temple, sit near the fire and maybe take yet another nap before attending Korra's game.

Due to the snowy weather, Koda had to wear an extra layer under his leather jacket. After stretching his back, the earthbender grabbed his coffee and started walking to the docks.

Once he was near the docks, he heard a voice from behind. "H-Hey Koda,"

Koda turned around and saw Korra was there. He greeted her with a smile, although he couldn't help but notice that Korra looked a little... uncomfortable. She was rubbing her hands together and her feet were, for some reason, unable to remain still. "Hey Korra, what's up? Ready for the big game tonight?"

"Yeah, just taking a stroll before the match is all. What about you?"

"I have to go to the station and run some errands. Tarrlok might've given me the rest of the week off, but Mom still wants me to keep up with my work. I just need to sign some documents, so it won't be much of a drag,"

"I see," Korra said as her eyes landed on the small mug Koda was holding. "What's that in your hand?"

"What, this? It's a little something called coffee. It's my favorite drink. Here, you want some?"

Korra took the small gourd with both hands and looked at it suspiciously. Thinking that there was no harm in trying it out, she took a small sip of it... just to spit it out in disgust. "Eww! It's so bitter! How can you like this stuff?" she asked. Had it not been for Koda's presence, Korra would've chewed a bunch of snow from the ground to get rid of the awful taste in her mouth.

"It's a bit of an acquired taste," Koda said between chuckles. He had a very similar reaction the first time he drank coffee. "I'm sure it'll eventually grow on you. Anyways, I have to go now. Good luck with your game tonight."

"Wait!" Korra shouted as Koda began to turn around, gaining his attention. "You see, there's something I've been meaning to ask you..." After taking a deep breath, Korra spoke again. "... Uhm, how are things going in the Police Department?" 'Darn it, why can't I ask him!? Buckle up and get down to business before it's too late!' the Avatar raged inside her head.

Koda wondered why such a simple and mundane question was getting Korra so worked up. "Everything's normal, I guess. The Triads and the Equalist haven't done anything big as of recently, but I'll let you know if I hear anything interesting."

"Riiiight... How's Chief Lin doing?" 'Aaaaaargh! What the heck, Korra!? Stop wasting your time and tell him how you feel already! He's gonna think you're weird! Oh Spirits, he's raising an eyebrow now...'

Koda indeed raised an eyebrow, failing to understand what was going on with Korra. Nothing bad had occurred to his mother, and the girl from the Southern Water Tribe was far from being on amicable terms with her. The question itself was odd, but the tone in which the question was asked made it even weirder, as if Korra was trying to buy time or something. "I suppose she's doing fine. To tell you the truth, I never thought you would ask me that. Now, if you excuse me, I have to go. Once again, good luck with your game, I'll make sure to buy some tickets on the way back."

The Avatar watched helplessly as the earthbender turned around and walked away from her, and honestly, she couldn't blame him for feeling weirded out. Pema gave her some solid advice, but even someone as socially inept as her knew she couldn't just walk up to him and openly tell him how she felt right out of the bat. At the same time, she was starting to make a fool of herself and Koda had obviously picked up on that.

Gathering whatever courage left inside of her, she gave it one last shot. "Koda, wait."

Intrigued, the earthbender turned around a second with a confused look on his face. "Yeah?"

"The thing is... we've known each other for a while now, and I've been wondering that maybe, if you don't mind, we could... you know, since we've been through a lot lately, it wouldn't be such a bad idea if we... tonight..."

"What's going on with you, Korra? You're not acting like your usu-"

"Look-I-really-like-you-and-we-should-go-out-sometime," Korra said all at once, releasing all of the built-up tension in a rapid succession of words.

Koda blinked a couple of times. "Wait, what?"

"I said... I really like you and we should go out sometime," the Avatar responded slowly, her knees growing weaker by the second. While the feeling of getting all of that out of her chest was great, Korra felt like she was getting eaten from the inside. A tough girl like her wasn't used to show this much shyness. She couldn't even look at Koda in the eye and instead looked at his boots.

'She... She likes me...' Despite being sure of what he heard, he still couldn't believe it. Korra was standing there asking him out on a date! It was so unexpected that Koda's mind had trouble processing all of it and began rambling. "W-Wow... That is... I mean, that was something right there. I never knew whether a girl would ever ask me out for a change, and I never thought it would be you. Not that it's a bad thing, but..." Koda trailed off. He then glanced at Korra, who was starting to look pale despite her dark skin. "W-What I meant to say is yeah, I'd love to go out with you," he said a little louder than necessary.

Korra nearly gasped, her eyes wide in surprise. "You... You would?"

"Well, of course. We'll have a great time together, and besides..." Koda took a deep breath and did his best to keep himself from blushing, although he could tell his cheeks were already at least somewhat reddish. "...If I'm being quite honest, I've wanted to go out with you for a while now. Tarrlok's task force has been keeping me extra busy, but now that I have some free time on my hands, I was planning on asking you out on a date, but I guess that won't be necessary any longer since you beat me to it... I like you too, Korra,"

The Avatar felt as if a ton of bricks had suddenly been lifted off her shoulders. She then let out a shy smile and involuntarily started playing with her ponytail, her eyes still fixated on Koda's boots. "In that case, maybe we can do something together after my game?"

"Sure, that sounds great," Koda replied before acquiring a more sober expression. "Look, I really need to get going now. But I'll be back in time to watch your game against the Red Sands Rabaroos," After saying that, Koda turned around and started jogging towards the ferry. He then stepped on the boat and left the docks, but not before giving Korra a few last words of encouragement. "Good luck, I know you'll do great out there!"

Korra slowly waved Koda goodbye as the ferry took off. Once she was certain she was out of sight, Korra jumped high into the air and pumped her fist. "He said yes! He said yes!" she yelled in joy before allowing herself to fall to the ground where she began to do snow angels like a child. "He said yes," Korra whispered one last time with a goofy smile on her face.

…

As soon as the match between the Fire Ferrets and the Red Sand Rabaroos began, it was crystal clear that the rookies had the upper hand. The level of coordination and finesse displayed by Korra, Mako, and Bolin was comparable to that of a seasoned team that had been playing for several years. Mako was shooting fireballs with incredible accuracy while dodging left and right. All of his shots reached his targets while none of the shots taken by the Rabaroos got him.

Bolin was a heavy hitter. He wasn't fast enough to get out of the line of fire, but he was quick enough to defend himself and counterattack with staggering Earthbending that pressed the Rabaroos further and further into the edge of the ring. Hit hard, hit fast.

While the two brothers were definitely putting up quite a show, Korra's performance took the cake by a longshot. She was jumping, dodging, and throwing water at her opponents as if her life depended on it. It was like seeing Mako and Bolin combined. Her body reacted on her own, moving at the right time and going to the right spot in the ring.

The game ended fairly quickly as the Fire Ferrets worked like an oiled machine against the Red Sand Rabaroos, who were unable to withstand the torment brought to them right of the bat. With one final water whip, Korra threw the last of the Rabaroos out of the ring, putting an end to the third round and the overall game, with her being awarded the Player of the Match unanimously. They celebrated by a well-deserved group hug and went back to the locker room where they took off their helmets.

"Did we just rock that or what!?" Korra cheered.

"I'll say, this is by far our best game ever," Mako said with a rare smile that he only showed on special occasions. Even someone as broody as he would be happy after playing the perfect game. "And Korra, you were really pumped up out there too! Did something happen to you that made you perform so well?"

Korra's cheek turned slightly pink. "Oh, me? It's nothing. I was just really into the game, that's all," she said while scratching the back of her head in embarrassment. Mako suspected Korra wasn't being completely sincere with him but decided not to call her out on it. They won the game by a landslide and that was the only thing that mattered.

"The Fire Ferrets are practically champions already!" Bolin exclaimed while pumping his fists in glory.

"Be careful Bolin, this was only our first match. We can't get too confident or it might cost us the tournament," Mako said to the earthbender. "Though I'll admit this is one heck of a start,"

In that moment, Asami and Koda stepped into the locker room, both of them smiling from ear to ear. "Congratulations! You were amazing out there!" Asami exclaimed as she ran up to Mako and gave him a tight hug. Koda also hugged Korra tightly, something which neither Mako nor Bolin failed to notice.

"Asami's right, you guys were unstoppable," Koda said. "Especially you Korra, you were the best player out there by far. What made you play so well?"

Koda's question was actually quite innocent and came from pure curiosity, but it didn't stop Korra from blushing heavily as she confused the signals and thought Koda was teasing her. After all, she was feeling pretty hyped up at the prospect of going on a date with him, but there was no way she was going to tell him that.

Once the Fire Ferrets had taken off their protective gear, Bolin took a deep breath, slicked his hair back, and began to approach Korra, who was still talking to Koda. He was feeling pretty confident after the win, even more so than usual, and in his mind, there was no way Korra would reject him as they were perfect for each other. At least, that was the way he saw it.

He opened his mouth... but Koda opened his first.

"...Anyways, I hope you're ready for our date, Korra. You're in for a real treat."

Mako's eyes widened considerably while Bolin's jaw reached the floor. He wasn't expecting to hear that.

"Wait wait wait, you two are dating!? Oh my gosh I'm so happy for you!" Asami squealed as she hugged both of them. "Koko, when did you ask Korra out? How long has this been going on for?"

"I... I kinda asked him out today before the match," Korra answered.

Koda grinned. "Yeah, pretty much. So Korra, you ready?"

"Sure, just let me go change first. Meet me outside?" the Avatar asked, receiving a nod from Koda.

Korra left the room with a noticeable spring in her step. The warm smile on Koda's face faded away as he noticed the inquisitorial, yet amusing look he was getting from Asami. "What?"

"When were you planning on telling me about this, Koko?"

"What are you talking about? You heard Korra, she said she asked me out before the game. Was I supposed to go to your mansion straight away and tell you about my date?"

Asami gave him a knowing grin. "You know very well that's not what I'm talking about. When I said 'this', I meant your feelings for Korra. You've liked her for quite a while now, haven't you?"

"Nice try Klutz, but I know my rights and I'm under no obligation to answer to you," the earthbender stated. Asami was his best friend and someone whom he trusted with his life, but he would be lying to himself if he said she never acted obnoxious when it came to his love life. He didn't want to paint all women with the same brush, but they all seemed to have the unhealthy need to know who was dating who. "Look, we can talk some other day. I have to get ready for my date."

"Oh, alright, but the next time we see each other, you're gonna tell me every little detail."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say," Koda replied while throwing his hands in the air in mock surrender. He then noticed Bolin was sitting on the benches with his head hanging low. "Hey dude, are you okay?"

Koda flinched when Bolin showed his face. His eye was twitching, he looked paler than usual, and he had a twisted, almost psychotic smile. He was breathing heavily and Koda could have sworn a thick vein grew in his left temple when he addressed him. "Me? I'm fine. I feel perfect. More than perfect. Why do you ask?"

"Huh... No reason at all," Koda awkwardly replied before turning back and covering one side of his mouth so that Bolin wouldn't hear him whisper. "Mako, what's up with Bolin? He's acting weird."

The firebender sighed. "Don't worry about it, I'll talk to him when we get home. You should go meet Korra downstairs. Good luck on your date."

…

"So... Where are we going?" Korra asked dubiously as she and Koda walked to where the earthbender had parked his motorcycle. The vehicle was a gift from Asami which Koda received when she found out Koda returned to Republic City. It was like a standard motorcycle from the Police Department but with a few extra customizations that suited Koda's preferences.

"We're going to my favorite restaurant in the city. I figured you must've worked quite an appetite after a Pro-bending match, and it's been a while since I last went there. Trust me, the food they serve there is great."

"Sounds good. I'm actually starving,"

The two benders sat down on the motorcycle. Koda gave Korra a spare helmet as well as a confident smile. "You might want to hold on to me," Korra was more than happy to oblige and embraced the earthbender from behind. The engine began to roar and the couple left the parking lot of the Arena.

Fifteen minutes later, they finally arrived at their destination. It was a humble restaurant with lots of decorations and a warm homey feeling about it, one that made all customers comfortable as soon as they stepped inside. It was frequented mostly by teens around their age, as well as some elder couples here and there. A waitress greeted the two of them and guided the couple to a table that was located in one of the corners of the restaurant. It was the perfect spot where Korra and Koda could enjoy a little privacy.

"I gotta say, I really like this place," Korra commented as she looked around. "Was this one of your errands that you had to run?"

Koda chuckled. "In a way. I was going to grab a bite here after your match on my own, but since you asked me out, I decided to go here like I first planned but with some company instead... You know, I'm glad that we are here. I don't think I can remember the last time we hung out like this. It feels good to just relax for a while,"

"Yeah, I definitely needed a break from all this Avatar stuff. Right now, I just wanna' take it easy and have a good time," the Avatar said with a smile.

The same waitress from before approached the two of them and asked what they wanted to have. Koda ordered the Komodo sausages while Korra ordered the giant Sea Crab, a particular culinary delicacy from the Water Tribe both southern and northern. The waitress nodded and went to get their orders ready, leaving two glasses of lychee juice on their table as a courtesy.

While they were waiting for their food, the two benders engaged in a conversation in order to get to know each other better. Since Korra didn't have much life experience due to the fact that she had lived almost all of her life doing the same thing in the same place, Koda was in charge of coming up with interesting topics that both of them could relate to, as well as telling funny occurrences that happened to him ever since he became part of the Metalbending Police Squad.

"... So the guy not only accidentally dumped an entire bottle of ink on top of your mom's head, but he also threw away the files she'd been looking for all day because he thought they weren't important? What happened to him?" Korra asked, her eyes wide.

"No one knows for sure. He left Mom's office shaking and sweating. Two days later, he turned in his resignation letter. He never entered the building again, but knowing how dangerous Mom can be when she gets angry, I can't say I blame him,"

"You can say that again. Hey, does your mom and dad know about... you know, this?" the Avatar asked awkwardly. She had been so hyped and excited about the date that she forgot Koda was Lin's son, and it was safe to say that the Chief of Police had it out for her. A part of Korra felt joy as dating Koda was, among other things, an act of sweet revenge against Lin. Another part of her was quaking in fear as... well, she was dealing with Lin Beifong. It was pretty self-explanatory.

"No. I didn't tell her about this, and it might take awhile before I do. Believe it or not, Mom has always been protective of me, at least when it comes to my love life. She has taken an interest in every single girl I've dated, and not the good kind of interest. And with you..." Koda trailed off. He immediately noticed the downcast expression Korra had developed and silently cursed to himself. It was clear that his mother's aversion towards Korra was going to make things harder between them, especially since her job as the Avatar was undoubtedly going to concur with Lin's job as the Chief of Police one way or another. In an attempt to lighten up the mood, the earthbender grabbed Korra's hand and squeezed it. "Hey, let's not worry about it for the moment. I'll handle Mom. In the meantime, let's just enjoy ourselves."

The Avatar smiled and returned the squeeze. "Yeah, you're right. Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"

…

"Bolin, for the last time, please get over it!" Mako shouted in frustration.

"No! I can't get over it, I don't want to get over it, and I'll never get over it!" Bolin shouted back from the couch as he continued to cry overdramatically.

Mako sighed. He knew that it would eventually come to this. Bolin had his heart broken because of a silly crush he had on Korra, a crush that was very one-sided. Because of that, he now had to deal with his brother's childish antics for the rest of the night and probably for the rest of the week. To make things worse, they had another game coming soon and Bolin was in no psychological condition to play at his fullest. "Look, I get it. You're sad because Korra and Koda are dating. But I told you it was going to happen eventually. Believe me, it's for the best,"

"For the best!? How can you say it's for the best!?" Bolin cried once more.

"It's for the best because teammates aren't supposed to date each other. We have worked so much to get to where we are, and you dating Korra was simply not a good idea,"

Bolin grabbed a tissue and cleaned his nose before talking. "But... But... But it's just not fair! Koda gets Korra, you get Asami, Bolin gets... no one!"

"Life isn't fair, Bo. We both know that," Mako said as he sat next to Bolin. "Besides, not only did Korra like Koda, but she was also the one who asked him out. Had you asked Korra out on a date, she would've said no and things would've gotten weird between you guys. Would you have liked that?"

The earthbender looked at the floor before mumbling something.

"Well, would you?" Mako insisted.

"... No," Bolin muttered reluctantly. "It's just that I really thought I could've had a relationship with her. I guess I was wrong," he said before letting out a long, depressive sigh. Then, he grabbed his Fire Ferret mascot and started petting it. "At this rate, I'll end up dating Pabu,"

After hearing his brother's silly statement, Mako couldn't help it. Unwillingly, he let out a small chuckle which he immediately tried to pass it off as a cough. Unfortunately, Bolin heard it. "You just laughed at me!" Bolin shouted accusingly.

"What? I did not-"

"Yes, you did! Not even my brother takes me seriously!" Bolin declared before going back to cry even louder and much more obnoxious than before.

Mako stood up from the couch and sighed out of frustration. 'What did I do to deserve all of this drama?'

…

"I'll say, that was some meal," Korra sighed while rubbing her belly.

"No kidding," Koda seconded. "I didn't know I could eat that much."

"Do you know what really blew my mind?" Korra asked.

"What is it," Koda asked.

"You are an earthbender that was born in the Southern Water Tribe," Korra said, "and you were coincidentally born during the Glacier Festival."

"I know," Koda said with a chuckle.

The couple ended up ordering three dishes each, including some dessert. The food was so good they couldn't help but order a lot more than what they first intended to. Truthfully, Koda was never that hungry, but seeing how Korra really missed eating Water Tribe food made him want to ask for more just to keep her satisfied. Besides, that girl had the biggest appetite he had ever seen on someone, to the point where Koda could barely keep up with her.

He was about to ask for the bill when a certain someone caught his eye. "Eh shit, not him," he groaned.

"What is it?" Korra asked.

"Don't turn back now, but there's a guy in the corner of the room that's looking at us," Of course, Korra couldn't contain herself and immediately looked over her shoulder to see who was the one Koda was talking about. A guy with purple hair surrounded by two girls and a couple of goons caught her attention, mainly because of the creepy grin that he was sending her way.

"You know that weirdo?"

"His name is Tahno. He and I had a scuffle some years back when we went to school together, one time he was harassing Klutz and I stepped in and scatter shotted him," Koda said with venom. The guy was an insufferable prick who constantly bragged about his bending abilities. Not only that, but Koda found out that the Wolf Bats had also been accused of bribing referees in the past, as well as colluding with Buthaka in order to get easy matches against rookie teams.

A charming guy indeed.

Tahno then made his way to Koda and Korra, followed by his two teammates. Koda wanted to throw his arms in frustration. Why? Why did he have to deal with him during his very first date with Korra?

"Well, well, well, look who we have here. The chick from the Fire Ferrets and the Grandson of three members of Avatar Aang's squad. What a lovely surprise," Tahno said with a mocking smirk.

"Would you mind not doing this right now, grease? I know that you don't have anything better to do than being creepy and annoying, but we're in the middle of our date and we could really not use your company right now."

"A date with your grandfather's successor? You keep surprising me, Beifong," Tahno chuckled before looking at Korra. "I heard the Fire Ferrets entered the competition. Tell me, how did a couple of amateurs lucked their way into the tournament?"

"What I would like to know is how you expect me to take you seriously with that ridiculous haircut," Korra retorted, much to Koda's amusement.

The Pro-bending champion's eye twitched but quickly regained his cool. "You know, if you really want to learn how a real pro bends, I could give you some private lessons," he whispered in an insinuating tone of voice, leaning in closer to the Avatar.

"Cut it out, Tahno. I'm warning you," Koda said with a glare.

"I got this," Korra assured the earthbender as she stood up. "You wanna' go toe-to-toe with me, pretty boy?"

"Go for it, I'll give you the first shot,"

Koda grabbed Korra's hand, stopping her from doing anything. He had already figured out Tahno's intentions. If she hurt him, Tahno would definitely tell the ones in charge of the tournament and the Fire Ferrets would be automatically disqualified for injuring the competition before the start of the event. "Korra, don't touch him. If you do, you along with Mako and Bolin will be kicked out of the tournament."

For a second, Korra looked like she was going to punch Tahno across his face anyways, but then she let out a huff and sat down, still glaring daggers at him.

"That's what I thought," Tahno sneered. "Anyhow, my team and I should get going now. We might catch your lameness if we stay any longer. Good luck, you losers will need it."

Before him and his crew left, he looked to Koda, "Oh where are Mowgli and Rokuta? Surely they are back right? I heard that they were killed in action."

Koda was gritting his teeth as Korra was fuming as she saw Tahno walking away with his buddies. Her hands were trembling in rage. She knew that she would get in big trouble if she caused a scene, but letting that arrogant, conceited, insufferable douchebag get away with it just like that was... Spirits, she hated him! "What a jerk. I can't wait for the championship to start so I can kick his sorry little-"

"Korra, look around. You don't wanna miss this," Koda interrupted her, a mischievous grin on his face.

The Avatar was perplexed by his request but obliged anyway. She looked over her shoulder to where Tahno was. The waterbender was casually making his way out... but all of a sudden, a clicking sound was heard and Tahno's pants fell down, revealing a pair of purple boxers that matched the color of his hair. Tahno was so shocked and surprised that, in an attempt to pull his pants back up, he accidentally tripped over and landed on his hands and knees, further exposing his extravagant choice of underwear.

"Just be happy I didn't use my scatter shot at you. It has improved ever since I joined the United Forces," Koda said.

The customers' laughter soon filled the restaurant, Korra being the loudest of them all. Even the staff members couldn't help but chuckle at the scene, although they quickly covered their mouths in case anyone saw them. Tahno went red in the face and left the restaurant as quickly as he could, but not before hearing someone yelling "Hey buddy, nice underwear!" followed by even more laughter.

…

"Oh man, that was the best thing I've seen all day," Korra sighed as she wiped out a tear. Her stomach was hurting badly after all she laughed, although it could've been thanks to all of the food she ordered. "How did you know that was going to happen?" she asked as they stepped out of the restaurant.

"Well, let's just say it's never wise to bother a metal bender who's on a date... especially if you're not wearing a belt," Koda responded, a huge grin on his face.

After laughing their heads off yet again, the two of them spent the rest of their date visiting popular places in Republic City. Koda figured that Korra hadn't had much of a chance to explore Republic City, which was a shame considering many tourists came there just to see what beautiful locations the big city had to offer. While it was impossible to visit every single one of them in one night, Koda still showed Korra the main attractions.

Out of all the locations they went, Korra's favorite had to be Harmony Tower, a place that allowed visitors to get a panoramic view of the city. For someone like Koda, who had lived in Republic City his entire life, the sight was pretty common. However, for someone like Korra, who had spent practically her entire life in the South Pole surrounded by ice and snowy buildings, the view was breathtaking.

As for Koda, there were more interesting things to focus his gaze on… like Korra, for example. But something was on her mind.

"Wait, who are Mowgli and Rokuta?"

Koda froze, "Mowgli was a waterbender and Rokuta was a firebender, they were some of my closest friends, we went to school together, had a junior bending team, and we all joined the United Forces and we were a Special Operations Team known for stealth, healing, and reconnaissance. A little over a year ago, they were killed in action."

"I'm sorry," Korra said, "I didn't know."

Korra had a sad look as he looked at Koda's solemn face. She said nothing as she held his hand tight to comfort him.

"Now, let's not get sappy," Koda said with a smile, "We are still on a date."

…

Time went by and, before they knew it, they were already back in the Air Temple. Had it been for them, they would've stayed at least for a few more hours, but they knew they had to be back on the island before Tenzin could grow suspicious of them. Koda's father was under the impression that the two young benders were celebrating the Fire Ferrets victory over the Red Sand Rabaroos with Mako, Bolin, and Asami. He had no idea what his eldest son and the Avatar were really doing, and there was no need for him to know... at least for the moment.

The earthbender escorted Korra to her room. There was a little bit of a sad mood going on as the two of them really wanted to spend more time with each other, and it was probably going to take a while before they could go out again. Korra had her Pro-bending matches to focus on and Koda had a lot of work to do in the Police Department. Besides, he had to temporarily hide the truth not just from Tenzin, but from her mother as well... especially from her mother.

"I guess this is it," Korra said as they reached her dormitory. "Thanks Koda, I had an amazing time with you."

"Don't even mention it. You're the funniest girl I've ever been with. I just wish the night was a little longer."

"Yeah, me too... Good night, Koda."

"Good night, Korra," the earthbender replied as he started to walk away. Korra opened her room door.

However, after taking a few steps forward, Koda turned around and saw Korra had yet to enter her room. She was just standing there, looking down at the floor as if she had forgotten something. Then, their eyes meet. Neither of them looked the other way, they simply stared at each other, grey blue eyes versus cyan blue ones.

Almost telepathically, they approached each other at the same time until they were finally close enough to share their personal space. There was a minute of silence, neither of them moving... until Koda closed the gap between them and planted a kiss on Korra's lips. The Avatar's eyes went wide for a second before she closed them, returning the kiss with equal enthusiasm.

Koda then hugged Korra and pressed her body closer to him. Korra responded by wrapping her arms around his neck, further deepening the kiss. Even if there was no tongue play involved, the kiss itself was still damn tasty. The two of them kept going at it until they were forced to separate due to lack of oxygen. At first, neither of them were able to fully understand what just happened. They kept staring at each other, breathing heavily, until they finally realized that they had done what they had wanted to do ever since the day they met.

"That was..." Koda started to say, although he still couldn't think straight. This wasn't his first time kissing a girl, but none of them had the hypnotizing effect Korra had on him.

The girl from the Southern Water Tribe was even more dazzled. This was her first time kissing a boy and she never expected it to be so...

"I'll see you tomorrow!" Korra blurted out of nowhere before entering her room and slamming her door closed. Once she was inside, she suddenly felt an aggressive adrenaline rush kicking in and her heart started beating dangerously fast. The single thought of the kiss she shared with Koda was enough for her head to start spinning.

A wild grin took over Korra's face as she sat on her bed. She covered her face with a pillow and squealed excitedly into it. She knew full well how girly it seemed, but quite honestly she couldn't bring herself to care.

…

In the following days after Koda's date with Korra, the Air Temple turned into a house of rumors and gossip. Apparently, some of the White Lotus guards spotted Korra and Koda together, and while they couldn't confirm or deny anything, the time at which they arrived at the Air Temple was enough to raise a few eyebrows. It wasn't long before the acolytes of the island heard about the couple's little night out and, soon enough, everyone started speculating. The fact that something interesting rarely ever happened on the island made the gossip all the juicier.

The rumors of the Avatar going out with the son of the Police Chief and Tenzin eventually reached Tenzin's ears. The airbender confronted Koda about this, and given how little choice he had, Koda decided to be honest and told his father the truth.

To say that Tenzin was uncomfortable by the revelation was an understatement. He had already accepted the fact that Korra was going to form bonds with the people she met, but there was a big difference between bonding with someone and going on dates. Koda argued that him dating Korra wasn't going to make a significant impact on anything. Korra was still going to learn Airbending under Tenzin's tutelage and Koda would still keep an eye on her.

"Only now, it won't be just professionally speaking," Koda told his father with a cheeky grin. The airbender was less than amused. Tenzin knew that his mother would get angry about this and would yell at the both of them.

Still, there was nothing Tenzin could do about it. Those two had their own lives, and as long as their relationship didn't interfere with Korra's Airbending training, the son of Aang was forced to put up with it. In any case, the fact that his eldest son was now dating the reincarnation of Aang was just... It gave Tenzin the creeps.

Koda had yet to tell Lin the news, not because of how she might react, but rather because he couldn't find the right occasion. It was obvious that his mother wasn't going to approve of them being a couple, but honestly, Koda couldn't care less. He was happy with Korra and Korra was happy with him. That was everything he needed to know and Lin had no right to keep them apart from one another.

However, not everyone was thrilled by their new relationship...

…

"What the hell is happening to Bolin?" Koda asked himself as he watched the game between the Fire Ferrets and the Bau Ling Buzzard Wasps. 'It's like he's going Hasook or something,'

The opposite team was, without a doubt, talented. Probably just as talented as the Fire Ferrets were. Mako and Korra were responding blow for blow, but for some reason, Bolin was doing more harm than good out there. He was constantly missing his shots, he looked disoriented, and he didn't seem to have the confidence that he usually displayed. The Bau Ling Buzzard Wasps took notice of that and they bullied him while keeping Mako and Korra at bay.

At some point during the game, Bolin got his shoulder busted by a disc and was consequently thrown out of the ring. The referee stopped the match and signaled the healers to take a look at the earthbender's injury, who was still moaning in pain. While this was happening, the referee declared Bolin's injury had been clean and free of malicious intent, so the Bau Ling Buzzard Wasps were not penalized.

"Hey ref, we need to check on Bolin!" Mako requested all the way from his spot. The referee nodded and grabbed a megaphone.

"The Fire Ferrets are granted five minutes to corroborate their teammate's status and return with a substitute if one is required,"

Mako and Korra immediately left the stage while the members of the Bau Ling Buzzard Wasps regrouped in order to discuss their strategy. As soon as he and Korra arrived at the medical station, they saw Koda was there too, having seen the incident all the way from the locker room. Mako took off his helmet and carefully made his way to his brother. "Bo, are you okay? Does it hurt a lot?"

The healer who was working on Bolin's shoulder removed the glowing water out of the earthbender and sent it back to a fountain nearby. "He has sustained no major injuries, but he needs to take it easy right now. His shoulder should be fine in a couple of days,"

"A couple of days?" Korra repeated. "We can't wait that long, you need to fix his shoulder right away!"

"Ma'am, I assure you I'm doing everything in my power to help your friend, but I can't perform miracles," the healer replied in a no-nonsense tone before giving Bolin a look. "I'm sorry, but unless you want to put your shoulder at an even greater risk, you have to call it quits for now,"

"Are you absolutely sure you can't go on?" Mako asked once the healer had left. He knew the answer to that question already, but he had to make absolutely sure of it.

Bolin got up from his chair and tried to perform a single jab. He winced and gritted his teeth in pain, placing his left hand on his bruised shoulder once he finished. "Nope. I can't play nearly as good as I usually do with only one arm."

It was useless to try and encourage Bolin to play, Mako deduced. Bolin was still pretty heartbroken after knowing that Koda and Korra were dating, and those feelings were getting in the way at the worst moment possible. If Bolin's performance was already poor with two working shoulders, only the Spirits knew how worse it could get with only one. "There's no other way around it. We'll just have to make do without you."

"Actually, I have an idea," Koda said all of a sudden, gaining the attention of his girlfriend and Mako. "Bolin, give me your equipment. I'll be your substitute."

"Wait, are you serious? But Koda, you don't know our game style, also it's been years since you have done pro-bending!" Korra warned him, only to receive a confident smirk from Koda.

"That didn't stop you from walking into that ring for the first time, remember? And besides, it will click back right away. My fighting style has some pro-bending influences."

There wasn't much that was left to discuss. They needed an earthbender to help them win and Koda with his pro-bending experience, they will have a higher chance to win.

They carefully stripped Bolin of his protective gear and handed it to Koda, who removed some of his own clothes so that the equipment would fit. The earthbender was a little disgusted as he put on Bolin's helmet, which was covered in sweat. The bells rang loud and clear, indicating both teams that the break was over. "All right, time's up. Are you sure you can do this?"

"Sure. I wouldn't like to see the Fire Ferrets say goodbye to the tournament after all the hard work you guys have put into this."

Before leaving the medical station, Korra gave Bolin one final glance. The earthbender promptly looked away as soon as his eyes met hers. It made the Avatar wonder what was going on with him as it was clear he wasn't just having a bad day related to Pro-bending, but rather at a more personal level. The Bolin she knew would at least cheer for them enthusiastically after being replaced by Koda, but instead, he was being sulky and quiet, two adjectives that most certainly didn't fit his description.

As for Koda, there was one thing that he was afraid of and that he hadn't realized until it was too late for him. Should the spectators find out Koda Beifong was playing for the Fire Ferrets as a substitute for Bolin, it would cause a public uproar. He wasn't doing anything against the law, but the Police Department would most likely receive several letters asking why was the Lieutenant of the Police Department playing Pro-bending all of a sudden, despite him being a former pro-bender. It was a headache that neither Koda nor Lin needed.

'Well, it's too late to back down,' Koda thought as he entered the ring. He took a deep breath and ignored the roar of the crowd. Dealing with pressure was a part of his job, but still, the feeling of being watched by hundreds of individuals around him was not a pleasing one. Press conferences were one thing, Pro-bending matches were another thing entirely.

As he got into position, he saw Mako looking at him. "Don't worry about me or Korra. Just stick to not getting hit and don't take any risks unless you absolutely had to," he heard the firebender say.

Koda nodded. He appreciated Mako's direct approach. It made him feel like he was listening to a superior giving out orders, a sensation he was more than used to. Do this, don't do that. Specific tasks were the easiest ones to carry out.

"Are the two teams ready?" the referee asked. The two captains gestured they were. Koda's belly tightened. "Then... Begin!"

DING DING DING

All of a sudden, the three benders in front of Koda started to move, and the earthbender felt a rush of adrenaline taking over his body as he dodged fire, water, and earth. He couldn't focus on not getting hit and firing earth discs at the same time so he simply did what Mako instructed him to do and evaded everything that was coming his way, either by jumping or raising a disc that would take the hit for him.

It was tedious for him not being able to perform Earthbending the way he wanted to. Looking at it from a sport's perspective, using earth disks to compete was a completely reasonable idea, but as a means of attack, it was mind-bogglingly limited. Earthbending was so much more than throwing rocks, and being this constricted made Koda feel awkward. It was a shame he couldn't use Metalbending as well, given how it was his fortitude.

However, his skill from Junior-bending as a kid and the years of training in both Earthbending and Metalbending sure came in handy, as once he got the hang of the game, he started to recognize the Bau Ling Buzzard Wasps attack pattern. The moment one of their opponents got in trouble, the whole team would quickly gang up on the disadvantaged adversary until they knocked him or her out of the ring. They had to be fast, otherwise the other members of the opposite team could take advantage of temporarily not being a target and knock them out first. It was a risky maneuver, but if the Bau Ling Buzzard Wasps were able to get this far, then it had to be effective as well.

'In that case...' Koda slightly lowered his defenses and allowed himself to be pushed back by the waterbender from the opposite team. The Bau Ling Buzzard Wasps' firebender and earthbender did as Koda predicted and started throwing their respective elements at him.

Before a disk could send him into zone two, however, Koda dodges between them spinning his body mid-air parallel to the ground. The earthbender wastes no time in sending two more plus a third. Koda spins his body to avoid the first two but grabs one of the disks mid spin and hurls it directly at the third one and the two make contact and deflect off each other. Wanting to test him further, the earthbender continues to unleash a barrage while being light on her feet. Koda dodges what he can and punches right through what he can't.

The opponent team was awestruck as they saw Koda catch a disk and throw it back. It caught the Bau Ling Buzzard Wasps' waterbender off guard and struck her in her stomach. As she stumbled back, Mako shot a fireball at her with enough strength to knock her off the ring. The crowd cheered and clapped in favor of the Fire Ferrets.

There was no time to celebrate. With the waterbender out of the way, Koda turned his attention towards the earthbender while Mako and Korra focused on the firebender. Without exchanging a single word, the Fire Ferrets managed to synchronize and agree on a simple but efficient strategy. Koda managed to keep the rival earthbender busy while the two others overpowered the firebender. Their idea paid off as they gained more and more territory until eventually a sudden disk from Koda sent the Bau Ling Buzzard Wasps' firebender into the water below.

The last member of the Bau Ling Buzzard Wasps didn't stand a snowball of a chance as a fireball from Mako, followed by a disk from Koda and one final water blast from Korra was all it took to send the Fire Ferrets into the championship finals.

"Game over! The Fire Ferrets win!" the referee immediately announced.

…

"That was amazing! You caught those disks and threw them back with pinpoint accuracy," Korra said excitedly. The Fire Ferrets were celebrating their victory in the locker rooms, with Asami hugging Mako and Pabu standing on his two legs and jumping excitedly around the place. Koda lifted Korra off her feet and the couple shared a quick but fiery kiss, making Asami squeal in delight.

"Maybe I should go back to Pro-Bending," Koda said.

"Does that mean you're gonna quit your job at the Police Department and start a Pro-bending career?" Asami asked.

"Nah, I think I'm gonna stick with catching bad guys and solving crimes. Besides, this was a one-time thing. I don't want Mom to find out I got involved in this."

Bolin was the only one who wasn't celebrating. He was sitting by himself avoiding everyone's gaze, especially Korra's. Not only was he heartbroken by Koda and Korra's new relationship, but he was also feeling quite embarrassed by how close the Fire Ferrets were from getting thrown out of the competition. If Koda hadn't stepped in to replace him, who knew what could've happened.

Once the party died down, the Avatar went over to Bolin to check up on him. "Hey Bolin, what's gotten into you? You almost cost us the match!" she said not in an angry tone, but one that certainly demanded answers as Bolin's behavior was way too strange for her to ignore.

"M-Me? Yeah sorry, I just... I just have a lot on my mind right now," the earthbender meekly replied, his eyes still refusing to meet hers.

"Mako, Korra, could you please give me and Bolin a minute alone?" Koda asked out loud.

Mako stared at Koda suspiciously. "What for?"

"We need to discuss something very important and private. I think you know what I'm talking about."

The firebender thought about it for a minute. He supposed Koda was already aware of Bolin's feelings towards Korra and how sad he was now that she was dating him. Mako liked Koda well enough and didn't mind having him around, but Bolin was his little brother. Should a fight arise between those two, he wouldn't hesitate to protect him.

However, Koda didn't seem like the kind of person who would start a fight with Bolin or anyone for that matter. Koda went as far as to risk his own life for Bolin's sake when he got duped into helping the Triads for cash, which in all honesty, could've ended in Bolin going to jail for taking a job offer from the Triple Threat Triad. He nodded and gestured to Korra and Asami to leave with him. Korra seemed suspicious but decided to go with Mako and leave the questions for later.

Once they were alone, Koda took a seat next to Bolin and looked at him straight in the eye. "Okay Bolin, are you gonna tell me what's bothering you?"

Bolin sighed. "It's not something you'd like to know,"

"It's because you like Korra too, isn't it?" Koda's tone was so casual that it took Bolin by surprise. He began to panic as he had no idea what to do or to say, so he simply hung his head in shame, fearing that Koda would hate him. Much to his surprise, Koda's voice became softer and more relaxed than usual. "It's okay, I can see why you like her so much. I'm not angry at you, Bolin. Not in the slightest,"

"You... You're not?"

"Honestly, I would feel the same way you do right now if the tables were turned. It's never easy to be in your position. But still, you have to cheer up. Korra may not feel the same way about you when it comes to dating, but you're still her friend and she cares about you, as does Mako, Bolin, and I. Besides, Korra isn't the only girl in Republic City. I'm sure there are others out there who would love to meet a guy like you. It's not the end of the world."

"I know that, it's just... You just don't get it. It's easy for you to say that when you already have Korra by your side. What if I don't get another chance to meet someone?"

"You will get another chance, Bolin. Trust me," Koda replied. Bolin didn't look very convinced as he was still frowning and staring at the floor. Koda took a deep breath and decided that if he wanted to make Bolin feel better, he had to reveal some of his experiences in order to get to him, even if it meant sharing things that were personal. "Bolin, I'm going to let you in on a secret, but you can't tell a soul about what I'm about to say."

For the first time, Bolin dropped the long face and gave Koda a curious look. "A secret?"

Koda nodded. "You already know that Asami and I go back a long way. It might look like I've always seen her like a friend and nothing else... but the truth is, it wasn't always like that. I used to have a crush on her."

"Wait, what? You used to have a crush on Asami?" Bolin asked in shock.

"Oh yeah. And it wasn't just a stupid teenage crush that lasted for a week or two. I've been pretty close to Asami ever since I was a kid, but when I turned fifteen, my feelings changed. My best friend became my love interest and the girl I once peeked at as a teenager, and little by little, I managed to convince Asami to go on several dates with me."

"So that means... You and Asami used to be a couple!?"

The war veteran shook his head. "Not really. They were friendly dates, and we only went out like three or four times. Of course, I didn't see it that way back then. I thought it was only a matter of time before Asami became my official girlfriend, which was the one thing I thought I wanted the most. But then, Asami and I talked and we both agreed that we were feeling comfortable by the way things were going. She knew I liked her and I found out she liked me at a point. But in the end to Asami, I was her best friend, maybe even a brother, and to me she was like a sister, and I also decided to leave to join the United Forces."

Bolin's gloomy attitude was replaced by astonishment and awe. He never expected to relate to someone like Koda Beifong, an Officer of the Police Department. Up until now, the only things they had in common were their bending and their love interest in Korra, but he didn't know that Koda liked Asami and sneaked a peek.

"Lighten up, Bolin, there will be other moments. Maybe if I go to the earth kingdom, you and I can go and fish for women..."

After hearing such a revelation, Bolin couldn't help but smile a little. It felt great to know that Koda knew what he was going through and that he was willing to share some of his private life in order to make him feel better. Mako tried to comfort him, but he didn't really offer almost anything other than "get over it" and "toughen up". The fact that Koda knew she liked Korra and still went out of his way to help him spoke volumes to the earthbender, who was starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel.

"And, since we're on the subject, how about this? If you promise me you will try and cheer up, I promise I'll set you up with the next girl you want to date. How does that sound?" Koda offered for good measure.

It worked like a charm. Bolin got on his feet and vigorously shook Koda's hand. "Alright, Lieutenant Lewdness! You have got yourself a deal!"

"Lewdness?"

"You said you peeked at Asami once," Bolin said, "remember?"

"Oh right," Koda said, remembering his old perverted ways.

"Is that what your mom meant by that one incident?" Bolin asked.

Koda chuckled and nodded, "Yeah, that's what she meant. Come on, let's get going. I have work tomorrow and I can't afford to be late."