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itscalledbisexualcrisis · 4 years ago

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Scrap Metal - Chapter 1

Summary:

“What do you mean you’re leaving?” Hiro hadn’t even taken off her coat yet. And here was her fiance telling her she was leaving for Ba Sing Se.Hiro broke off her engagement to Kuvira three years ago and left Zaofu. All she wants is to live her quiet life in Republic City, away from her haunting past. Kuvira's catching up to her, but is she going to find what she's looking for? Or is she only going to reveal the secrets Hiro kept hidden from her all these years?

or Kuvira is bisexual and was engaged to a woman before becoming the Great Uniter

A/N: A fic I wrote and posted on AO3. Just wanted to also share it on another platform :)

Link to original here

“What do you mean you’re leaving?”

Hiro hadn’t even taken off her coat yet. And here was her fiance telling her she was leaving for Ba Sing Se. Kuvira finished packing up her last suitcase. It was all set: she was going to stabilize Ba Sing Se with Zaofu’s forces. Hiro knew that things were getting bad there since the Queen’s assassination, but didn’t think the Metal Clan would intervene.

“Is this Suyin’s idea?”

��No. It’s me.” Kuvira comes over and wraps her arms around Hiro’s waist. “Suyin doesn’t think it’s a good idea, but Ba Sing Se has been on fire for the past few weeks. Omashu is barely holding it together and the rest of the Earth Kingdom is falling. Zaofu is the only city within the Earth Kingdom that isn’t on the brink of war. We need to act now if there’s going to be any part of the Earth Kingdom left.”

“What about our wedding? We still have so much to plan.” Their wedding was still a few months away, but still there was a lot of planning to do. And Hiro couldn’t handle all of it on her own. “I’m already doing so much with Baatar to revamp the city systems. I can’t plan a wedding alone.”

Kuvira pressed her forehead against Hiro’s. She brushed one of her lover’s stray black hairs from her face.

“I know. Come with me.” This was a second surprise to Hiro. “We can plan our wedding and help bring the Ba Sing Se back, stronger than ever. Then we get married. We can do this together.”

Hiro’s mouth dropped open.

“This is crazy Kuvira.” She broke from Kuvira’s grasp. She walked past her and her packed bags, and towards the living room. “Why are you only telling me this now? With only a couple days worth of notice!” “I wasn’t sure if I was going to do it. Not sure if I had enough of the security force on my side. But I do, Hiro! I have the majority of the people of the Metal Clan on my side, why don’t I have you.”

Kuvira followed her and plopped down on the couch. Her arms spread out on the back of the couch with her legs slightly spread. Even in sweats and a messy ponytail, Kuvira was gorgeous. Hiro always hated how Kuvira could look so effortlessly beautiful no matter the situation.

Hiro dropped her bag next to the coffee table. She sighed and rubbed her temples. This isn’t how she wanted to come home after a long day of coding and fixing systems.

“I’m always with you,” Hiro sighed. She fell on the couch next to Kuvira, immediately curling into her waiting arms. Kuvira turned her head and dropped a kiss to her pouting fiance’s head. “This is just so sudden. You’re not really giving me time to think about this. Plus Zaofu isn’t exactly in paradise either.”

Although it was the safest city in the world, they couldn’t guarantee they were safe from attacks from rogue Earth cities.

“I know,” Kuvira breathed in Hiro’s hair, loving the gentle smell of lavender shampoo mixed with her natural scent.

“Maybe I can visit you later on? Give me a couple weeks to get things sorted out here in Zaofu, and let me come out to see how things are going,” Hiro suggested.

“It’s not a vacation, Hiro. Things are going to get difficult. I can’t just have you visiting randomly as I’m trying to save a nation,” Kuvira gently stroked her face. “I know this is overwhelming at the moment, but you’ll see. And when you’re ready, you come out and join us. ”

Hiro looked down. She didn’t like the idea of being away from Kuvira for an unknown amount of time. But she also didn’t like the idea of leaving Zaofu. It had been her home for so long now. And she had told Kuvira how the chaos of the Earth Kingdom was scaring her. She couldn’t just up and leave into the unknown like Kuvira can. No, that wasn’t like Hiro.

“You’re back two weeks before the wedding,” Hiro bargained.

Kuvira smiled gently and nodded.

“I’ll try my best.”

---

Hiro hugged Kuvira tightly on the deck of the launchpad. The airship behind them was ready to take off any minute now, all they needed was their leader. Their relationship wasn’t a secret in Zaofu, but they were very private people. Kuvria wasn’t the emotional type, but Hiro was always a little more mushy than her partner. She always found small moments in public to hold Kuvira’s hand or sneak cheeky glances. Kuvira was more cheeky with her affection and found new ways to make Hiro blush in public. For the most part, Kuvira just liked keeping her affection more private; she liked keeping Hiro all to herself.

“You call me the second you get there,” Hiro stated. Kuvira wanted to laugh at how Hiro’s serious look was similar to a puppy begging for treats. Her chest swelled with love for Hiro and she realized just how much she was going to miss her partner. The thought alone made Kuvira hold her even tighter.

“I will,” Kuvira whispered. “Stay out of trouble. I’ll see you soon, alright?” Hiro held back her tears. This was all too much, but she needed to be strong right now. Hiro wouldn’t let their last moments together be sad. “I love you.”

Hiro smiled. She knew that Kuvira meant every word.

“I love you, too.” With one final kiss, Kuvira turned away and walked towards the airship. Her second in command, Baatar Jr., was there to salute her before boarding. Kuvira turned around one last time to lock eyes with her lover. Those eyes. Those beautiful brown eyes she loved very much. She blew a kiss towards Hiro who returned it immediately with a smile and a wave. In that moment, she vowed that no matter what happened, she would return for Hiro.

Hiro finally let a few tears fall as the airship took off in the sky and disappeared into the night.

---

“Excuse me. Are you lost?” Hiro jumped at the voice. She was trying to find Suyin Beifong’s office for her second round of interviews for a Computer Analytics and Strategist position.

Suyin was looking to expand her security team and gather a group of young scientists to upgrade their current systems. Hiro nearly choked when she got an invitation to a second interview with Suyin herself, not expecting to even have her resume reviewed let alone speak to one of her childhood heroes. And now she was lost in her hero’s home almost late for said interview.

Hiro turned to see a female guard standing at attention. She couldn’t make out much of the guard except her face, but even Hiro could tell she was very attractive. She was a few inches taller than Hiro and strong shoulders underneath her armor. Hiro blinks and it took a moment for her to realize she was still staring at the guard.

“Yes! Can you help me!” Hiro squeaked. Her high pitched voice and jumpy energy surprised Kuvira. She hadn’t seen anyone like this around the compound before. “I’m here for an interview with Suyin Beifong! I’m kind of lost.”

Kuvira held back a smile. This girl clearly wasn’t a threat, just lost. And very cute. She wore a modest navy blue dress that went down to her elbows and showed off her figure quite nicely. Her short black hair was neatly combed and black framed glasses fit her face almost perfectly.

“Come with me. I can take you to her.” Hiro smiled widely and followed her.

“Thank you so much!” They walked briskly down the hall, Hiro’s heels clicking down the large hallways. She fiddled with her bag and her nerves started getting the better of her when she remembered she was going to be meeting Suyin very shortly. It didn’t go unnoticed by Kuvira, but she didn’t say anything. They made their way and finally came upon a lounge outside of large double doors. Other candidates sat waiting with their resumes and portfolios in the decorated waiting area outside of Suyin’s office. Hiro breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Kuvira.

“Thank you so so much! I’m so thankful, you have no idea!”

“It’s no problem. Good luck with your interview,” Kuvira answered respectfully. She turned to go back to her post.

She secretly hoped that she would see the cute girl with the glasses more around the compound.

---

The following years were like a dream for Hiro. She was offered a position in the newly expanded Computer Analytics Department, with a specialty in Strategy and Security. She moved from her small town to Zaofu and start her dream job underneath legendary matriarch Suyin Beifong.

Hiro looked down at a photo of her and Kuvira. It was a selfie they had taken on their first date. Hiro never expected her dream job would come with the second love of her life. Her first was computers and coding, and her second love was Kuvira. After only being on the job for a few weeks, Kuvira asked her to dinner. She would try walking past the security hallway more often on duty and deliver messages personally to the security department.

They had a romantic dinner outside by a pond not too far from the compound. Kuvira had to be ready to jump on duty at any moment, so they couldn’t go anywhere too far. It was a lovely night filled with laughter and gentle touches laid out on a blanket. At the end, Hiro whipped out a polaroid camera and asked a nearby guard to take a photo because “it was a night she wanted to look back on.”

Kuvira and Hiro were both sitting up on the blanket with food spread out around them. Hiro was sitting with her body leaning against Kuvira, who’s hand came and rested on the other girl’s knee to bring her closer. Her other hand leaned on the ground by Hiro’s hip. Hiro had both arms thrown around Kuvira’s neck, pulling her so that their faces were close together. Kuvira was looking down at Hiro with a gentle smile while Hiro smiled widely at the camera.

It was Hiro’s first time ever going on a date with a woman and she was very nervous at first. Kuvira was older than her and slightly more experienced at 20 while Hiro was 18 when she first came to Zaofu. She was the youngest of her group hired by Suyin, who saw a lot of potential in the young strategist. Although she lacked practical experience, Hiro still had a lot of knowledge for someone so young.

Back home, Hiro would spend hours tinkering with gadgets and different computer systems. She had studied it independently and quickly realized she had a gift. Growing up coding computers, she was inspired by the technological city of Zaofu and how Suyin Beifong built an entire city around progress and innovation. Her passion reminded Su of herself when she first started the Metal Clan, and that was enough for her to take a chance on the young coder.

Now it was three years later. Three long, but beautiful years in Zaofu. Hiro had become one of the Chief Strategists for Zaofu, working directly with Suyin and Baatar Sr. on optimizing security for the city-state. Her skills as a coder and working on different programs have only grown since coming to Zaofu. Suyin had been even more brilliant than she could’ve ever imagined and became her mentor.

In those three years, her and Kuvira’s relationship blossomed. At first there was a lot of hesitation on Hiro’s part. Kuvira made her nervous. The older woman had such a presence that Hiro wasn’t used to. Plus Hiro had just moved to Zaofu and was still getting used to her new life.

Kuvira was patient though. She gave Hiro her space in the beginning. After their first date, Kuvira tried to take things slow. Emphasis on try.

But that’s why now Hiro was going to make an effort. To try for Kuvira and the life they’ve built together.

She looked down at the beautiful ring on her finger. Kuvira had hand-crafted a special metal from a meteorite to create a very simple band with geometric lines etched in. The metal had been smoothed out and shaped to fit snugly around her finger. Hiro wasn’t someone for very flashy things so it was perfect for her.

The telephone rang and startled Hiro out of her daydreams.

“How’s my lovely fiance doing?” Kuvira immediately asked. Hiro could feel her happiness bubbling in her stomach just at the sound of Kuvira’s voice.

“Missing you as usual. How are you?”

“Busy. I won’t give you details, but it's not great.” Hiro could hear the exhaustion in Kuvira’s voice. “Listen, I know I said I would try calling every day, but I just don’t think it's possible. Baatar and I have been pulling in long hours and it’s only going to get worse. You understand right?” Hiro’s shoulders fell. Kuvira has only been gone a week. Although she promised to call often, Hiro has only talked to her for a handful of minutes.

“Yeah of course. I know you’ve got a lot on your plate now. Just call when you can ok?” Kuvira lets out another sigh.

“With how things are looking here, we need the lines as clear as possible for fast communications. This is the last time I’ll be able to call you for a while,” Kuvira admitted.

“Oh. I see.”

The disappointment was clear in Hiro’s voice now. It’s not like she secretly waits by the phone every night for it to ring. It’s not like when it does ring that Hiro feels like her heart could explode that they would return soon. Or it goes in the opposite direction and her mind races with the possibility that Kuvira will never come back. It’s not like when she does hear Kuvira’s voice that her heart flutters just like when they first met and she beats herself up for feeling like a teenager again.

No. That’d be ridiculous.

But she couldn’t lie to herself, that even if she only got Kuvira’s attention sparingly, Hiro treasured every moment.

“I can write you letters though? And you can write back?”

“Of course, darling,” Kuvira said fondly. As much as she believed in what she was doing, she missed her fiance very much. She wouldn’t tell her now, but Kuvira knew that she couldn’t have Hiro come out here. She knows that Hiro would be a useful asset here, as she was one of the best strategists of Zaofu. Not to mention, she was also a fairly skilled metalbender. Not as gifted as Kuvira or the Beifong family, but she could give a decent fight while sparring. But to be quite frank, Ba Sing Se is a mess; the last thing Kuvira wanted was Hiro getting caught in a cross-fire. The thought of Hiro getting hurt by some rogue bandits or rebels made her clench the phone tighter.

No. That absolutely cannot happen.

---

A month had gone by since their last phone conversation. Hiro had been writing detailed letters every week to Kuvira. In return, Kuvira had been writing as well, albeit sometimes short and scribbled, which meant she was in a rush with her responses. Hiro wasn’t bothered though; she was just relieved that Kuvira was safe and able to have some communication with her soon-to-be wife.

The battle on Ba Sing Se has been tricky, but this month has shown formidable progress for Kuvira’s forces. Her name started stirring up more around the Earth Kingdom, as news that a former Zaofu guard had led troops into Ba Sing Se. With a majority of the Metal Clan gone with Kuvira, Zaofu was a little more quiet these days. It left Hiro feeling unsettled some nights sleeping alone.

Suyin didn’t think it was right for the Metal Clan to intervene. Although the rest of the Earth Kingdom had fallen, she was more focused on keeping Zaofu safe than trying to save the rest of the world. Her job was even more important now; she was seen as a beacon of hope for the people of Zaofu. She had to take care of what was left of it.

On the home front, Hiro was assisting in the reinforcement of Zaofu. Within the city-state, they were fairly safe. Since Zaofu was independent from the rest of the Earth Kingdom, the citizens didn’t react the same way as the rest of the cities. Most citizens were more uneasy with how the rest of the world was going into chaos and wanted to keep themselves protected within Zaofu. Which is why Baatar Sr. and Hiro were working a lot to make sure their systems were constantly up to date.

“Come in.”

Suyin was preparing for another speaking event where she would address her citizens about Kuvira’s army. It seemed like all she was doing nowadays was going to meetings and talking to people about Kuvira and their next moves.

Hiro stepped in with a file in her arms analyzing the plans for one of Varrick’s inventions. It was one of the last things he left when he and Zhu Li left Zaofu to join Kuvira. Hiro knew how great of a loss it was when they left, but never mentioned anything to Su. Things had changed so much in Zaofu. The energy in the air was always laced with a somber undertone. The people were getting restless and the rest of the Earth Kingdom was suffering. There was only so much time left before the chaos reached their home.

“Su, I was just going over one of Varrick’s inventions. We were going to start building a prototype until he left. Should we wait until they return or get started on it without them?” Hiro’s question caught Su off guard.

“Come back?” Hiro was confused and slightly amused by Su’s response, her eyebrows furrowing slightly together.

“Yes? Come back. You don’t think they’re going to be that long do you? Kuvira and I have a wedding in a few months.” Hiro acted like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Su’s eyes softened and realization dawned on her. With everything going on, Su had neglected Hiro these past weeks. Her husband and Hiro had been working so hard making sure Zaofu was still well fortified. She hadn’t had time to check on Hiro and how she was doing with Kuvira’s departure. And it was quite obvious now to Suyin, that Hiro had no idea what was really going on.

Su cleared her throat, “Sit down, Hiro.”

She did hesitantly. She wasn’t expecting a sit down conversation with Su, especially since she knows Su has a speaking event to go to. Su sat across from her on the other opulent couch in her office. She liked how her office could be cozy, but professional at the same time. There were many memories in this office between Hiro and Su. Lots of meetings and time spent brainstorming ways to improve and protect Zaofu.

Su bit her lower lip before continuing.

“What did Kuvira tell you exactly when she left?” This confused Hiro even more. She knew that they were fighting in the coming weeks to Kuvira’s departure. It was one of their first major arguments and Hiro knew it stressed Kuvira out. She never pushed her or asked for details; just held Kuvira on those nights while stroking her back.

“She said that when I was ready I could join them and that she’d be back two weeks before the wedding. Why? Have you heard something different?”

Su took in a deep breath. Now she really didn’t know who Kuvira was anymore. The girl she raised would never have kept this from her fiance. She knew their relationship very well, and that made Su, even more worried. The fact that Kuvira straight up lied to Hiro, was not a good sign.

“Before she left, we got into one last fight. I-I threatened to banish her - and everyone if they left. Their actions were a direct betrayal to all of Zaofu’s beliefs and it would be a dishonor to the Metal Clan and I couldn’t let that go,” Su admitted. Hiro’s heart fell to her abdomen. She clenched onto the files tighter, slightly crumpling it. “They are no longer allowed to come back to Zaofu.”

Hiro found her voice and it came out in a gasp.

“What!” Hiro rose to her feet, looking down at her mentor. Su stayed stern in her demeanor. “Why would you do that? To your people? To Kuvira!”

“They betrayed Zaofu. We don’t want traitors in our city.”

“Isn’t that also against our beliefs? Aren’t we supposed to be a welcoming, progressive city? Banishing people doesn’t seem very welcoming to me!” Hiro was on the brink of shouting now with tears welled up.

“They were the ones who decided to leave, Hiro. I was the one who just laid out the facts!” Su argued. “Do you not see what's happening? Do you think they plan on coming back here? Kuvira isn’t saving Ba Sing Se, she’s conquering it. And it will go on and on until there is nothing left to conquer.”

Hiro shook her head, “Kuvira wouldn’t do that. I know that she wouldn’t.”

Su stood up to her full height, and it made Hiro’s body turn cold. Su may be eccentric and whimsical, but she was also a Beifong. And Beifong’s were fucking terrifying.

“What have you been working on these past weeks?”

“I’m sorry.” Hiro was very confused as to where her mentor was going with this.

“All of these fortifications and updates. What do you think it’s for?” It was a rhetorical question. Hiro kept silent. She assumed they were for the bandits and terrorist groups gathering around the Earth Kingdom. She thought it was just an upgraded addition to what they usually do. Her eyes drifted to the floor. Without a response, Suyin continued.

“Kuvira looked me in the eye and told me that she didn’t care about being banished because she was going to come back one day on her own terms. What does that sound like to you? To me it sounds like she’s threatening to take Zaofu down, too.” Su walked around the table and put both hands on her shoulders. “Hiro you have one of the most brilliant minds I’ve ever met. But you are naive, and now is not the time to be blind. Kuvira left. She tricked you into thinking she would return and is slowly tricking you now into joining her conquest. If you have any values Zaofu has taught you, you’ll know that you have to walk away.”

With that Su gave Hiro a final stern look before leaving her office. The door shut loudly and it made Hiro jump. Tears streamed down her face. There was just so much to process. Kuvira was banished? She threatened Suyin? She...lied?

Hiro shakily walked to Suyin’s desk, picking up the phone and dialing the number Kuvira had given her. Her free hand leaned on Su’s desk for support. It rang a few times but no one picked up. Hiro dialed two more times before finally someone picked up.

“Kuvira!” She didn’t realize how shaky her voice had become.

“Hiro? What’s wrong?”

It was Baatar Jr. Why was Baatar answering Kuvira’s office phone?

“Where’s Kuvira? I need to speak with her. Now, Baatar.” He put her on hold and Hiro waited for one long agonizing minute.

“Hiro, darling? Are you alright? Are you hurt?” Hiro couldn’t tell if the feeling in her stomach was of relief or nausea.

“Why didn’t you tell me Suyin banished you?” Even a longer silence from the other end of the line.

“Darling.” Kuvira inhaled deeply and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’m sorry. I should’ve been more transparent about the circumstances.” “What about our wedding?” Hiro hated sounding so pathetic. She couldn’t help it, she was caught off guard and scared. Suddenly the office seemed very empty and she felt so small amongst everything.

“We may have to push it back a bit,” Kuvira admitted. “Look, there’s something bigger going on here Hiro, there’s a lot you don’t understand.”

“Then talk to me! Tell me! I’m your fiance, I’m going to be your wife,” her voice broke. “We tell each other everything. What’s going on that you’re keeping from me?”

Baatar Jr. cleared his throat, alerting Kuvira’s attention. He gestured to his watch, indicating that their urgent conference was starting soon.

“Darling, I’ll explain everything, I promise. Right now though I have to leave. I love you.”

With that the line went dead. A quick and abrupt end to what Hiro thought was an important conversation. She shakily put the phone back on the receiver and slid down to the floor. Curling herself into a ball, Hiro let out a shaky sob.

This was all too much. She had no idea how serious Kuvira was about saving Ba Sing Se. Or, as Suyin put it, conquering Ba Sing Se. And now there was no wedding?

She ran out of the office to vomit in the nearest toilet she could find.

---

Hiro packed one suitcase and headed out to Ba Sing Se. She was prepared to be with Kuvira and stick by her through this whole mess. If Kuvira couldn’t return then Hiro would go to her. On her way out, she thought about saying goodbye to Suyin and Baatar Sr. They’ve given her so much over these past few years, but Kuvira needed her now, even if she didn’t realize it. Her fiance was in a dangerous predicament and she wasn’t going to idly sit by and let Kuvira take it all on herself. Suyin clearly didn’t want anything to do with Kuvira and her movement, so telling her wouldn’t make a difference.

Upon arriving to Ba Sing Se, things were indeed a lot worse than what Hiro had expected. The Metal Clan had started in the Upper Ring and slowly moving towards the Middle and Lower Rings, seizing control at a steady pace. Hiro’s mini airship was seized upon arrival by metalbenders. When she exited the plane with her hands up in surrender, she was relieved to find familiar faces from Zaofu.

They were shocked, not expecting her arrival, but immediately led her to the main airship where their leader was staying.

Hiro stood outside of the metal door. After being escorted to her lover’s office, suddenly Hiro had cold feet. What was she doing here? Nearly weeks after their argument and no message from Kuvira, and Hiro had driven herself insane.

After her confrontation with Suyin, Hiro was a mess. Her work was slowing down and she found it harder to concentrate. Especially since now she knew she was building technology to keep her own fiance out. Followed by many sleepless nights clutching Kuvira’s pillow and sleeping in her lover’s clothes, made her heart grow sadder. She couldn’t take it any longer and made the paramount decision to join Kuvira instead of missing her. But...maybe she should’ve called first instead of mindlessly flying into a war zone. Oops.

Would Kuvira even want to see her? The thought alone scared Hiro. She was always sure of Kuvira’s feelings and where she stood in their relationship. Kuvira was loving and attentive. She worked with logic and analytics, always planning her next step. She was careful with her emotions and focused on her partner more than anything. Meanwhile Hiro was emotional and bold in the relationship. She was impulsive and hot-headed, sometimes with uncontrollable emotions. She would always encourage Kuvira to take a break from work and stay an extra five minutes in bed. Hiro knew her better than she knew herself. She knew when Kuvira was stressed, when she was upset, and oh, when she was angry. Everyone knew when Kuvira got angry. She wasn’t the type to explode. Instead she was quiet and piercing which made her even more intimidating.

Hiro jumped when the door suddenly opened and came face to face with Kuvira for the first time in nearly two months. Kuvira was shocked, then when the realization hit that it was actually Hiro standing in front of her, she felt a rush of emotion overwhelm her. She quickly pulled Hiro into the room with her, slamming the door behind them.

Hiro found herself pressed tightly between the metal door and Kuvira’s body. Their lips crashed in a kiss of passion and longing. It may have only been two months apart, but fuck did it feel like it was years ago. Kuvira pulled the back of Hiro’s head, tangling her hands into her bun and exposing her neck for Kuvira’s mouth to leave hot open kisses. Hiro hissed and needily ground her hips trying to get any sort of friction. Kuvira pressed a leg between Hiro’s thighs, making Hiro moan softly. Fuck, she’d missed this. The feeling of grinding into Kuvira’s strong thigh sent delicious chills through her body.

Kuvira chuckled and pulled back slightly to press their foreheads together.

Hiro’s hands were still gripping onto Kuvira’s shoulders, clawing for her lovers body to feel any inch of skin she could under the clunky armor. Stupid green uniform.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Kuvira cooed. One hand came down to stroke her cheek, a gesture that turned Hiro’s legs into jelly. “Well you certainly weren’t on my to do list today, but we can change that.” Hiro blushed and buried her face into Kuvira’s neck. She placed gentle kisses around the area, pulling down the leader’s collar to give her more access. Her teeth occasionally nipped at her neck creating a searing pleasure through Kuvira’s body. Hiro smirked; she still knew every spot that made Kuvira squirm.

“What can I say? You didn’t think you’d keep me away that easily, did you.” Kuvira felt a pang of guilt go up her spine and held on to Hiro tighter.

“We have a lot to talk about.” “I know, but right now I don’t want to talk.”

Kuvira didn’t need to be told twice.

---

Hiro lay panting across Kuvira’s metal desk. Her sweaty skin was sticking to some papers while the rest were spread across the floor. Sitting up, she looked around the room. It was pretty bare. Not much to look at, plain walls and filing cabinets with a wall of windows behind the desk. Kuvira moved around the room, tugging on her pants and shirt. She tied her messy hair back into a low bun. Hiro leaned up on her elbows, still naked on the desk.

The sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow around the room. Hiro admired how the sun reflected off of Kuvira’s body, her toned arms and broad shoulders looked absolutely ravishing. Don’t even get Hiro started on Kuvira’s back; if she could she would kiss every inch of her muscled back. Kuvira glanced over at her and when she noticed her lover staring, she smirked and walked over.

“Don’t give me that look. You know what it does to me,” Kuvira purred and gripped Hiro’s chin to look each other in the eye. Her thumb rested dangerously on Hiro’s bottom lip. Hiro reached up and pulled Kuvira by the neck for a coy kiss.

“I know,” Hiro whispered against her lover’s lips, making Kuvira groan. She forced herself to pull away from Hiro and throw a shirt at her.

“Tease,” Kuvira tutted. “You’ve already made me miss a meeting today, I don’t want to miss any other work I have tonight.” Kuvira finished getting dressed, making sure to adjust her hair again and make sure she looked as presentable as possible. Hiro started putting on her own clothes while pouting.

Kuvira paused while adjusting her collar in the mirror, seeing Hiro in the background quietly putting her clothes on. She knows that although they just spent an hour pressing each other on every possible surface in Kuvira’s office, she knows there’s a lot they need to talk about.

“Are you staying?” Hiro finished dressed and turned to Kuvira, the older woman’s eyes studying her carefully. Hiro was suddenly very aware of how distant they were standing across the room from one another.

Hiro slowly walked up to her, cupping her face with both hands gently.

“Yes,” she answered. “I’m with you. All the way.”

Kuvira broke out into a smile and kissed her again, this time a deep kiss. Hiro was here. As much as she wanted to protect her, it was clear to Kuvira that the best place to have Hiro was by her side. Kuvira could keep an eye on her and protect her closely without worrying about Zaofu for the time being. That would be later.

But right now Hiro was with her! She already had plans in mind to have Hiro’s office set up next to hers and to get her up to date on everything. Hiro’s mind was out of this world: the way she is able to code and create a security system was very sexy to Kuvira.

Which meant her army is only going to get stronger. She had everything she needed now.

“I love you, Hiro. So so much.” ��

---

“What are you doing here.” It wasn’t the welcome Hiro was expecting when she decided to visit her fiance. Just like usual, Kuvira was behind her desk looking over a map of the world. Her desk has only grown in the past three months.

Baatar Jr. was with her also studying the same maps. He fixed his glasses and tried to ignore Hiro’s presence. They were never friends exactly. They worked on projects together with his father over the past few years, but Hiro never really found him all that interesting. That’s why it surprised her when she found out Kuvira chose him as her second in command. Baatar apparently shared the same passion for the movement as Kuvira, and they worked closely together now to make their shared dream come true.

“Nice to see you too, darling,” Hiro answered sarcastically, using her own nickname against her. Her hair fell loosely around her shoulders in waves, after letting it out of a bun she wore all day. She flicked it off one side of her shoulder carelessly, not caring that Baatar Jr. was sneaking glances. “You said you were coming to bed over an hour ago. I got impatient.”

She sat in one of the chairs across from the large round desk and crossed one leg over the other. Baatar glanced up but said nothing from next to Kuvira. He tried not to look at Hiro too long as she was only wearing a short robe. The ‘Great Uniter’ herself was standing directly across from Hiro, still not looking up from her work.

“I’m working. Baatar and I are figuring out the next moves. We’re thinking of taking the western coast first before backtracking through to the east. We’re very busy, Hiro,” Kuvira clipped. Hiro glared daggers at the top of Kuvira’s head. Baatar lifted his head completely, now staring down Hiro.

“It’s very important, Hiro,” Baatar chipped in. “Kuvira and I have a lot of decisions to make before we send out the forces in the morning-”

“Baatar, get out.”

Now that got Kuvira’s attention. She finally looked up at her fiance, the annoyance she was trying to contain on her face was wavering. Baatar, shocked by Hiro’s aggressive tone, started packing up papers right away. He wasn’t afraid of her per say...but he had never seen Hiro mad before and he wasn’t interested tonight.

“Baatar, stay.” Hiro raised an eyebrow at Kuvira’s voice. She was assertive and rough, staring Hiro down in a challenging way. It's as if she was daring Hiro to defy the commander’s order.

Meanwhile Baatar hesitated. Things weren’t so sunny with the iconic metalbending couple. At least a few times a week Baatar can hear fighting coming from their hallway. It ranged from everything and anything nowadays. It started with small things about missing dates and not seeing each other, from what Baatar remembers, then transitioned into fights about Kuvira’s decision to continue unifying the Earth Kingdom after Ba Sing Se. As Kuvira’s second in command, while also assisting Kuvira in the unification, he was also her most trusted confidant. Sometimes he thinks even more trusted than Hiro sometimes.

“I’m going to see myself out for the night,” Baatar gently said. He scooted past Hiro and on his way out, “I’ll send the troops their orders and head to bed. Try to get some sleep tonight Ku, we have an early start tomorrow.”

The door shut behind him.

“You didn’t mention leaving,” Hiro pointed out. She uncrossed her legs and leaned forward on the table with her elbows.

In any other situation, Kuvira would have crawled between her lover's thighs and stayed there for hours. But Kuvira wasn’t exactly in the mood from being interrupted.

“I would have tonight if you had been patient and waited for me.” She started packing up her files. Hiro rolled her eyes.

“For how much longer?” Hiro teasingly walked around the table and sat on the edge next to the files and papers Kuvira was cleaning up. “You sleep in your offices most days. I hardly see you anymore except in meetings.”

Kuvira didn’t answer, but Hiro pressed on. Hiro was going to try tonight. She was going to mend her relationship, even if it was only a little bit. Even if it was just sex, she and Kuvira were going to have a good night, together.

“Come on,” Hiro encouraged. She tugged on Kuvira’s hands, getting her attention. She may have let her robe slip and show more of her cleavage. Kuvira let her hands move to Hiro’s hips and gave her a smile.

“You sure are needy tonight.” Kuvira’s voice dipped low as she let her eyes rake across her lover. Her hands drew circles on Hiro's hips. This damn robe was so thin, she could feel everything. “You let me finish cleaning up, and I am all yours.”

Hiro smiled before leaning in and capturing Kuvira’s lips with hers. It’s been a while since they’ve kissed like this; lips bruising against one another, hungering for more. And Hiro certainly wanted more. Hiro’s hands traveled to Kuvira’s wasit, trying to pull her in between her legs. Before things got too handsy, Kuvira pulled away to keep her promise to clean up first.

Hiro’s eyes furrowed and held tighter on Kuvira’s waist.

“What’s wrong?” Wordlessly, Hiro reached up and fixed Kuvira’s messed up collar. It was folded crooked.

“Your collar was messed up,” Hiro said, searching Kuvira’s face carefully.

“Thank you darling.” Kuvira gave her another quick kiss before pulling away completely.

In all her years, Kuvira was never sloppy. Never a hair out of place not one wrinkle in her clothing. So a crooked collar was very suspicious. Hiro’s eyes traveled across Kuvira’s body, studying it carefully.

Kuvira quickly noticed.

“What?” “Nothing,” Hiro quickly covered up. “It’s just...are you sure this is a good idea? To keep conquering the Earth Kingdom?”

Kuvira rolled her eyes. Of course it came down to this argument again.

“I told you. We’re reuniting it, not conquering it,” Kuvira hissed. “Why can’t you understand that!”

“I don’t like the idea of my fiance who just finished conquering a city to go try conquering more! What’s the point of this!”

Ba Sing Se was conquered in a couple of months. Kuvira’s leadership made a nearly flawless execution and the city was already slowly being rebuilt. Hiro was a key player in rebuilding Ba Sing Se’s original structure and making it better than ever. Her and Varrick were a tag team. Although at times Varrick’s boldness and brashness with inventing were chaotic to control, Hiro enjoyed working with him. She even started dabbling in weapons development assisting Varrick and Zhu Li. Hiro assumed that after taking Ba Sing Se, they could return to Zaofu and beg Suyin for forgiveness. Just one city to stabilize and the rest of the Earth Kingdom could handle themselves, right? Well it didn’t seem that way now with how Baatar and Kuvira were leaving tomorrow for other cities.

It seemed like even now, there were always a few parts of the plan Kuvira kept hidden from her.

“Ba Sing Se is yours. The villages surrounding Ba Sing Se are yours. What more could you want?” Hiro cried out. “Isn’t this enough for you? Aren’t I?”

“This is not about you Hiro!” Kuvira shouted back. “When are you going to stop thinking about yourself and think of the greater picture!”

Hiro slumped into Kuvira’s office chair, tightening her robe around her waist. The mood is officially ruined for the night, she declared.

“I’m going to bed.” Hiro didn’t notice that Kuvira had finished cleaning up. “I’m leaving first thing in the morning.”

Kuvira turned to start leaving. Hiro sighed and looked down at her engagement ring. As the days went on, it started feeling heavier and heavier.

“You forget what today is?” Kuvira stopped upon hearing Hiro’s question but didn’t turn to look at her. “Or what it was supposed to be?”

“No. Of course not.” And with that Kuvira left, not looking back to see a tear fall from Hiro’s eyes. Not acknowledging today was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives just a couple months ago. Neither one of them had brought up the wedding in weeks. And it didn’t seem like anyone would for a long time.

---

Kuvira,

As you’ve probably heard, I left Ba Sing Se. I couldn’t idly sit by as you take over the world. I also couldn’t leave without saying goodbye.

Suyin was right, this is wrong and we shouldn’t be trying to take over the Earth Kingdom. I won’t stop you, but I won’t help you either. I need to do what’s right for me.

And I know about Baatar Jr. I was suspicious about the two of you for a long time, but I hoped it would all go away when we got married or when this whole thing was over. Clearly, I was wrong.

I love you Kuvira.

Hiro

It was short and to the point. Unlike Hiro’s usual letters that would go on for pages, this one barely even covered half of it.

Kuvira crushed the paper beneath her grip.

Within the envelope, the letter also contained Hiro’s engagement ring.

She was gone. Hiro left.

#kuvira #tlok #legend of korra fic #kuvira fic #kuvira x oc #kuvira x reader

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itscalledbisexualcrisis · 4 years ago

Text

Scrap Metal - Chapter 4

Summary: Hiro broke off her engagement to Kuvira three years ago and left Zaofu. All she wants is to live her quiet life in Republic City, away from her haunting past. Kuvira's catching up to her, but is she going to find what she's looking for? Or is she only going to reveal the secrets Hiro kept hidden from her all these years?

Chapter Summary: Hiro is called to Zaofu to help the city in preparation for Kuvira's attack. Meanwhile Kuvira is only growing in her strength.

Read on AO3 Here

The bath water sloshed around as Hiro got in, sighing into the steaming water. Kuvira smiled while taking off her robe. She got in alongside her lover, so that they were facing each other. It was a small tub but neither minded their close proximity. Their legs tangled together under the water and bubbles. Kuvira reached out to stroke one of Hiro’s calves. Hiro sighed again, opening her eyes to look at beautiful green eyes. Kuvira felt the water easing her sore muscles and she gave Hiro a lopsided grin.

Hiro’s hair was up in a top knot while Kuvira’s was in its usual braid. Hiro reached out and stroked the other girl’s incredibly long hair, taking it out of the braid slowly. Kuvira exhaled, relaxing into the hot water. It had been a long week for her and she was still recovering from the battle with the Red Lotus from weeks ago. From getting blasted by a combustion bender and a flying airbender to saving the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, exhaustion was an understatement.

“You need a haircut,” Hiro observed.

“Yeah yeah yeah I’ll get to it.” She hadn’t even noticed these past few months just how long her hair was now. It reached her mid back at least. Her hands were busy massaging Hiro’s arms, covering them in soapy bubbles.

“Why don’t you just let me do it?”

Kuvira raised an eyebrow and she held back a smile.

“Darling, you’re very good with your hands.” She intertwined their hands together and brought them up to her lips to kiss each of Hiro’s knuckles. “But I don’t trust you to cut my hair. Besides, I thought you liked my long hair.”

“I do. But you’re always saying how hard it is to maintain and to keep out of the way when you’re training” Hiro’s hands travelled to Kuvira’s now wavy hair. It fanned out and around Kuvira before dipping into the water. Her hand scratched the back of Kuvira’s scalp, making her moan. Kuvira leaned into Hiro’s touch as she washed her hair, making sure to carefully get each strand. “What about a bob?”

Kuvira opened her eyes and glared at Hiro who wore a cheeky smirk. She splashed the girl playfully making Hiro yelp before pulling Kuvira by the waist. Their torsos were almost touching now. Hiro’s knees bent awkwardly spread out on either side of Kuvira’s body.

“You’re quite annoying,” she stated bluntly. Hiro hummed and pressed a quick kiss on Kuvira’s nose, making it scrunch.

“You love it though.” Hiro’s hands traced along Kuvira’s body, taking care around her bruises and scrapes. Years of being on the force have marked her up with various scars. Hiro traced a long scar running on the outside of Kuvira’s thigh. “And I love you. Every inch of you.”

Kuvira lovingly cupped Hiro’s cheek, stroking the smooth skin before leaning in and pressing a firm kiss on her lips.

---

“I need your help. Rumors are spreading that Kuvira is on her way to Zaofu. We need to fortify the city,” Suyin explained to Hiro over the phone. “You’re the one person that can help us. You know our technology better than anyone else and my husband needs help. Please.”

Hiro gnawed her lower lip. It had been a week since the coronation. Republic City was buzzing with anxiety over the news about the Earth Empire. Hiro kept her head down and tried her best to not think about it. Kuvira’s offer - well more like order - has been swimming in her head. She felt anxious that one of Kuvira’s men would show up at her door or at work one day. But no, they wouldn’t try to kidnap her right? Even Kuvira’s not crazy enough to do anything like that...right?

“I’m more than glad to help, but I haven’t worked on an actual defense system in years,” Hiro admitted. The last thing she worked on were the updates for Republic City. Even though it was recent, they were basic updates that were very outdated. Nothing like Zaofu. “I’m more involved with paperwork and Sato Mobiles nowadays.”

“Please. I’m running out of options. The United Republic can’t get troops out here in time to defend Zaofu. The only choice I have left is to protect my people. Asami has told me how you upgraded Republic City. She said your work was impeccable. I need you.”

Hiro sighed, looking out the window. There was already traffic building up and she groaned internally. She was already late to work this morning and needed to get going.

“I’ll think about it.” “Hurry, Hiro. We won’t have much time left.”

Hiro put the phone down, but couldn’t move from her spot in the living room. She wasn’t expecting a call from Suyin only a week after the failed coronation.

Kuvira’s army heading to Zaofu was unexpected. Sure she had threatened that she was reuniting the whole empire, but Zaofu was safe and secure. They weren’t like the other provinces of the Earth Empire starving or running rampant with bandits. Suyin had created a stable government and a well organized agricultural system to keep the people fed and taken care of, and they had long separated from the monarchy. It seemed like Kuvira was getting more power hungry by the day, and she wasn’t wasting any time in taking power.

But Hiro can tell from her short interactions with her, not to underestimate Kuvira. She was already considered a threat to the Republic Nation. More rumors were coming everyday in the papers about her war tactics and reeducation camps for the provinces and towns she does conquer. It made Hiro feel nauseous at the thought of Kuvira torturing people into submission. She knew Kuvira was harsh, but cruel? Suddenly Hiro wasn’t so sure about Kuvira trying to kidnap her.

She also still felt guilty about leaving Zaofu to help Kuvira all those years ago. Along with helping Kuvira, she left Zaofu defenseless. Kuvira had taken most of the troops from Zaofu, thus making it vulnerable to attack.

Another phone call interrupted her thoughts and she picked it up.

“Hey where are you? We have a test this morning for the next model,” Asami’s voice rang through the receiver. Hiro groaned.

“Sorry, sorry. I’ll be right there,” she croaked out. Her throat felt dry.

“You don’t sound okay, are you sick?”

“No, just got some news this morning,” Hiro reassured. She ran a hand through her short hair, pausing before continuing her train of thought. “Hey, I’ll explain more when I get there, but I need to take some time off.”

“Oh. I mean that’s fine, but is everything okay?” Asami asked, sounding worried.

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll explain more when I get there, but I’m gonna be out of the city for a bit.”

It wouldn’t make the past disappear, but it’d be a step in the right direction to help the city she left behind.

Maybe it was finally time to go back home.

---

Kuvira stared out the window as the tops of the metal domes of Zaofu began to come into view. She thinks back to when she first approached the city when she was a child when her parents dropped her off with Suyin because of her destructive behavior. In reality, she was still only a child. She remembers how much she resented Suyin and her family when she first came to Zaofu, the feeling of being unwanted and outcast gnawing away at her. Eventually, she grew accustomed to the Metal Clan and even considered it her home in a way. But there was always a part of her that didn’t feel like she belonged. At the end of the day, she wasn’t a Beifong. Even though she was a Metal Clan citizen, she wasn’t actually from there. She was Kuvira, a girl left on her own in a big world to fend for herself.

She hears footsteps come up to her, but her gaze doesn’t leave the domes.

“Kuvira, we’re approaching Zaofu. We should be there within the next day or two,” Baatar reported.

“Thank you Baatar.” She feels his arms wrap around her midsection. She leans back on him, letting him take her weight. She didn’t let Baatar show too much affection in public, it wasn’t a good image to project on the new empire. But they were alone in this train car, so she let them have a brief moment of intimacy.

“We’re finally going home,” he sighs. He looks out over her head at the metal domes he also grew up surrounded by. She doesn’t point out how it was a different feeling of home they felt. “It feels like yesterday we just left.”

“Indeed,” Kuvira answers, still partially lost in her memories. All of those fights with the other Beifong siblings slowly crept up in her mind. She smirked at the thought of seeing their shocked faces when she showed up at their front door. “We’ve done a lot of work. I’m proud of where we’ve come.” Baatar takes her by the shoulders and turns her around so she’s facing him. His hands gently rub her shoulders, trying to ease the tension around the muscle. Nowadays, she was never relaxed. She told herself she’ll relax once the entire kingdom is reunited under her rule. His face is broken out into a large grin.

“I know you said we shouldn’t be celebrating so soon, but I can’t help it.” He leans down and kisses her forehead, lingering there. “Our dreams are coming true.”

She smiled slightly before turning back around to look out the windows. She knew how eager her fiance could be. But she knew better than to celebrate early. There could still be many things that could go wrong and she knew Zaofu wouldn’t be easy to conquer. She had an obligation to her people to reunite all of the Earth Kingdom. She had an obligation to herself to return to Zaofu as a winner. She couldn’t let Suyin win because in her mind, if she let Suyin and Zaofu go, Kuvira would never live down that shame. There would always be a part of her that itched for it, the need to have full control. And Suyin would never be a complacent leader, even if Kuvira left Zaofu alone. It would always be a thorn in her side, until she knew she had it.

While she was stressed, she knew Baatar was eager to return for other reasons. Every night he discussed another aspect of their upcoming wedding with fervor. Kuvira had more things to focus on, so she let Baatar do most of the planning which he didn’t put up a fight about. It didn’t surprise her anymore that Baatar was always eager to please her. It was something she found endearing to watch.

In the reflection of the window, her eyes met Baatar’s as the domes grew larger in the distance. Below them, they could see the dark green tanks and soldiers rolling up towards the massive metal structure.

“Welcome home, Kuvira.”

---

Hiro kept her head downcast towards her lap the entire train ride to Zaofu. Getting off the newly remodeled train, she stepped off the bronze train and on to the sleek metal platform. The air was different than Republic City; clear and crisp on the open air platform as a few passengers got off. Hiro walked to the transport station that would take her straight to the center of Zaofu and at the gates of the Beifong estate.

After over three years, she couldn’t believe she was returning. The city seemed to have only gotten shinier and larger since her departure. Although things had noticeably changed, she felt at ease in her surroundings. Zaofu was just built differently than the rest of the world; there was a constant buzz of electricity in the air that made Hiro feel at peace. The city was also surrounded by looming mountains, creating its own pocket in the world. While someone else might feel claustrophobic or overwhelmed, it made Hiro feel right at home.

But she couldn’t swallow the anxious bubble building in her stomach as she got closer to the Beifong estate. She let herself observe Zaofu and old memories pop up. From her seat at the window, she saw figures already standing there waiting on the platform for her stop. It was getting darker out now and the domes have already closed for the night. Hiro was lucky to get on one of the last transport stations and she was the last one in her car. Upon closer inspection she realized it was Baatar Sr. waiting there.

Her face broke up in a wide grin. She worked with Baatar Sr on many projects. Suyin was her mentor, guiding her in life and shaping her up to be the best version of herself that she could be. But Baatar Sr was her boss and she learned a lot of trade skills from the architect. Sometimes his inventions overlapped her department in security and they’d brainstorm together, testing his latest creations. Baatar Sr was one of the most intelligent men that Hiro’s ever met and someone she had the utmost respect for.

“Hiro.” Immediately Baatar Sr wrapped Hiro in a big hug. After a moment of initial shock, she hugged him back. Besides his salt and pepper hair, he hadn’t changed one bit. “It’s so good to see you again.”

“You too, Baatar. I’ve missed you, and Zaofu,” Hiro admitted. It was the first time she ever admitted out loud that she missed home. And saying those words made her realize just how nostalgic she had been. “Where’s Suyin?”

“She’s inside waiting. It seems that we’ve received a message from Kuvira.” Hiro was surprised.

“I thought Kuvira wasn’t coming for another few days?” Hiro asked. Baatar Sr frowned and shook his head.

“I’m afraid we underestimated her. Her army has marched here and are outside the gates right now,” he murmured. “We’re going to hear her out in the morning, but I’ve been working this whole day in preparation.”

Her heart dropped to her stomach. No. She was too late. For a split second Hiro thought about running back on the transport and going back to Republic City. Even though she told Asami about what was happening and got on the quickest train to Zaofu, it wasn’t enough. Kuvira was here and with an army. There was no use. No one else was coming and Zaofu was going to be taken just like the rest of the Earth Kingdom.

But then Hiro looked around her. The tall sleek metal buildings jutted out around her and the metal dome encased them in a bubble of protection. The memories from earlier came back and she realized how quiet everything was. These people didn’t deserve to be conquered. They were safe and living their lives here. It was their home; It was her home. She was tired of running, of avoiding responsibility. She may never forgive herself for leaving Suyin, but she wasn’t going to let anyone down this time. This newfound confidence drove down her fears and anxiety about herself. She couldn’t wallow anymore. She had three years to let the guilt eat her up, but now she was going to act. She was going to protect Zaofu, at any cost.

“Well that means I need to get to work,” Hiro said. Upon Baatar Sr’s surprised expression, she continued. “If I’m going to help, I’ll need you to catch me up.” Baatar gave a short nod and a smile, leading her inside.

---

“I’m not giving up Zaofu. I don’t care if you’ve brought your entire army!”

“Su I didn’t bring my army to threaten you. I wanted to show all what your son and I have accomplished.” Kuvira genuinely didn’t want to come into this meeting with ill intentions. She wanted to attempt to reconnect with Su and get her to join peacefully. Of course she knew Su was going to be difficult. Bringing Baatar Jr. and Bolin were her ways of trying to relate with the Beifongs. If she had any chance of getting Zaofu peacefully, this was the only way.

But as she looked around the room, it didn’t seem like that was going to be the case.

“You must realize what you’re doing is going against everything your father and I tried to teach you.”

“Son you belong here.”

Kuvira didn’t react, but inside she was seething. Even now, after all that she’s done they still didn’t take her seriously. They didn’t respect her or what she was doing. She should’ve known that all Su would care about is Baatar Jr’s wellbeing. They had no idea how difficult these past few years had been. She was the one who had to bring Zaofu soldiers together to go to Ba Sing Se, and she had to lead them around the Earth Kingdom these three years.

And everything she did, Baatar was behind her every step of the way. He was just to blame for everything as Kuvira was, in her mind. “Why? So that I can go on living in your shadow?”

“Don’t say that. Can’t you see she’s brainwashed you?”

“Ha!” she couldn’t help herself. “I didn’t brainwash him. I set him free. And now he’s accomplished more with me than he ever could’ve with you.” She did a lot of things, but she didn’t brainwash her people. And it wasn’t wrong, Baatar never would’ve accomplished anything substantial within Zaofu. Just like the rest of Zaofu; all this cultivated talent is wasted here for the Beifongs. The world needed to experience a fraction of what Zaofu had, and it wasn’t fair for Su to keep it all hidden away in this pocket world.

Kuvira zoned out as Bolin tried to ‘sell’ the Beifongs on the Earth Empire. It was his turn now, seeing as Baatar was only antagonizing his family further. Being in this room brought back a lot of old memories for her. And standing around people she grew up with who were supposed to be her family left a bitter taste in her mouth. All those years growing up around rich children in the same house, but realizing she would never be accepted by them. Especially Opal. They had the rockiest relationship growing up together. They would constantly get into fights when they were little over the most trivial things. Suyin always reassured her that Opal would come around to having a sister. It never happened though and as they got older, they ended up walking the same hallways as strangers. It didn’t bother Kuvira. At least she wouldn’t admit it did. She was supposed to be my sister, instead I was her burden. I was a burden for all of them. “Hiro? You’re here too?” Bolin asked, bewildered. Kuvira whirled around and sure enough Hiro was there standing in the middle of the hallway, dumbfounded. She was on her way back to the lab, when her curiosity grew upon hearing shouting coming from Suyin’s office. “Well...this is kind of awkward.” “Sorry for interrupting,” Hiro stuttered out, backing away from the door.

“No Hiro, stay,” Su commanded. “You were smart enough to leave them, please tell Baatar what he’s doing is wrong.”

“Mother how many times do I have to tell you, there is nothing wrong with me!” Baatar argued. Kuvira put a hand on his shoulder before handing him a stack of papers. They were the terms for Zaofu to join the Earth Empire.

“We’ll give you all some family time to talk things through. You have twenty-four hours to join the Empire, or we take the city by force,” Kuvira said matter of factly. She turned to Baatar. “Meet me at the transport station when you’re ready. And please,” she takes one last look around the room, “take all the time you need. Come, Bolin.”

And with that she walked out of Suyin’s office, closing the office doors behind her. Bolin trailed after her, a worried look on his face, but he kept quiet. Now it was only the three of them in the hallway and the silence was deafening.

“I’m surprised to see you here,” Kuvira admitted. Hiro glared at her, not budging in her stance.

“Same here. I didn’t think you’d ever want to come back to Zaofu.”

The tension between them was high and Bolin began to shift uncomfortably from behind Kuvira.

“I’m gonna...head back on my own, if that’s okay!” he quickly added on to the end. Kuvira gave him a curt nod and he was bolting down the hallway towards the exit. It was followed by another short pause and both women watched each other very carefully.

Kuvira had gotten a good look at Hiro back in Republic City, but now dressed in casual slacks and a short sleeve shirt, she couldn’t help noticing how well they fit Hiro. She was never the type for business casual attire, more so preferring her overalls and work boots. And Kuvira could also tell that she seemed tired. The bags were clear under her eyes as well as how her face seemed riddled with fatigue. Her short hair was held back by a bandana she tied around, but it was coming undone.

“Well...it seems that Suyin has accepted you back,” Kuvira said carefully. “You must be right at home.” “I’m only here to do work,” Hiro answered. “I’m protecting everyone from you .”

Kuvira smiled and crossed her arms.

“Me? What, because I brought reinforcements as a back up plan? It wouldn’t be wise of me to come unarmed to an armored nation like Zaofu, would it?” she teased. It only made Hiro clench her fists in irritation and Kuvira noticed. Maybe she could have some fun with the young woman. “Plus, if I knew you were here, I would’ve worn my nicer uniform.”

Hiro choked on her breath. Was that flirting she sensed? And sure enough Kuvira had a shit eating smirk on her lips, amused at Hiro’s flustered state.

“Quit playing your games. They won’t work on me.”

“I’m not playing any games. You all make me out to be the villain, but I’m just trying to help everyone,” Kuvira shrugged. She takes a step closer to Hiro, backing her into the wall. She could see the wavering in Hiro’s eyes and she submitted under Kuvira’s green piercing eyes. “I meant what I said. You will join me, one way or another.” If Hiro lost focus, she could swear she could feel Kuvira’s hot breath fan her face.

“If I didn’t know any better, I would think the Great Uniter was obsessed with me,” Hiro shot back. “Trouble with Baatar? Or are you just bored of using him?”

“Baatar is a grown adult. He can make his own decisions. He doesn’t need me or his mother to tell him what to think,” Kuvira defends.

“I’m sure you persuaded him in your own manipulative way,” Hiro spat. Kuvira sighed, taking a deep breath to control her anger. She didn’t want to have an all out brawl in the middle of Su’s house. Especially since it looked like they would be getting nowhere the peaceful route.

“It was three years ago,” Kuvira affirmed.

“Yeah well, I never forgot.” Hiro closed her mouth immediately, clearly not meaning for those words to slip out. It was too late though, the truth was out. I never forgot about us. It made Kuvira pause. Hiro’s shoulders sagged and for a moment let her guard fall. “You might’ve forgotten, or maybe you don’t care, but just because it was years ago, it doesn’t change how you hurt me.”

Kuvira could only stare blankly at Hiro and take a step back, clearly not expecting that kind of reaction from Hiro. She’s seen Hiro at her highest and lowest points. How when she got very excited or passionate about something, she would bounce on her heels in child-like wonder. Or how when she was sad she would curl into herself and get even more impossibly quiet than usual. But this was a different type of low. She said her words with defeat laced through it and broke her gaze from Kuvira, as if ashamed.

“I didn’t forget.” And it was true. How could Kuvira forget about Hiro? How could she forget about her first love, who looked so small in front of her now. “I meant what I said. We grew apart, we wanted different things. There was a lot going on and I’m not proud of some of the things I’ve done. I never wanted to hurt you.” I thought it was going to end up with you.

The thought crossed Kuvira’s mind so fast that it startled her and she needed to take another step away from Hiro. She hadn’t had thoughts like that in a long time. They came often when Hiro first left, but she thought they had all gone away. That all the past feelings towards the other woman had faded and been replaced with her love for her country and Baatar. And Kuvira quickly forced herself to push down the doubt that crept up. She couldn’t have thoughts like that. She was with Baatar, and they were so close. She couldn’t ruin it all now with stupid old feelings.

Hiro hesitantly glanced up at Kuvira before brushing past her to walk down the rest of the hallway. Her eyes trailed after her and as Hiro retreated further down the hallway, Kuvira’s racing thoughts also subsided.

---

That night Hiro kept busy at the workstation, trying to find any holes she might’ve missed in Baatar’s schematics. Documents littered around the tables in a unusual mess. She wasn’t messy, but now with the time ticking she could only feel flustered. She slides out a keyboard from one of the machines and starts typing new codes and programs into it, double checking work she knows she’s already looked at. She can’t help it. Suyin and the twins had left, and she was anxiously waiting for them to return. It had been a few hours, and she reassured she would be back by the morning. But Hiro definitely couldn’t sleep, so instead she worked.

A bead of sweat dripped down as she realized she needed to go to one of the domes and check the mechanics herself. As soon as Baatar brought her to the estate, she got right to work. She worked nearly all of last night and all day after the meeting with Kuvira. She brushed away any time Baatar asked if she wanted a break. She needed to correct her mistakes, and there was no time left. She needed to focus on making sure Zaofu would be protected and use every second she had to save it.

Hiro made her way outside and towards the edge where the dome was. The construction was a marvel to her, and to make it more safe seemed impossible. Baatar’s design was nearly flawless.

Then she remembered who the enemy was and she started climbing up the ladder, tool belt strapped around her waist. She was so focused she didn’t notice Korra walking up and climbing alongside her.

“Hey, need a hand?” Hiro was shocked, but recovered, gripping her tools tightly. Down below near the house, Baatar was seated on the steps lost in thought. He paused working when Su left, too overcome with anxiety to even try to work. Jinora and Opal were arguing not far away about what to do. Hiro felt bad for Opal. She was close with her mom, so it only made sense she wanted to help. But from what Hiro knows about airbenders, it was highly inappropriate to incite violence.

“I’m okay, thank you though,” Hiro responded. Korra nodded, but stayed on the platform as Hiro opened a panel of wires. She began working on them diligently.

“So...I wanted to ask you. What should I be worried about with Kuvira?”

Hiro was so surprised she almost electrocuted herself on two wires.

“W-What?” Hiro stuttered.

“I mean, Su told me about you two,” Korra started. Hiro paused momentarily in her work, but her eyes trained on the wires before her. “You seem to know her pretty well. Is there anything you can tell me about her?”

“Why do you want to know? Aren’t you trying to take her down?” The lump settled in Hiro’s abdomen at her own words.

“I talked to her today. And I’m having doubts. Kuvira seems like she really cares about doing the right thing,” Korra reasoned. Hiro snorted, shaking her head and going back to her wires.

“Well that’s your first mistake,” Hiro spat. It caught Korra out of her thoughts. “Don’t underestimate Kuvira. She’s a master manipulator. She knows how to act sympathetic to get what she wants, but the second she doesn’t get what she wants,” two of the wires sparked wildly in her hands and Korra flinched, “she destroys it.”

Korra kept quiet, letting Hiro’s thoughts settle in. Hiro didn’t stop working until she was done and putting the panel back in its place.

“If you really want my advice, I’d say to get it over with,” Hiro confessed, the harsh reality settling into her shoulders. At this point she hardly noticed Korra there. After these past few weeks, she hated admitting it. She knew Su confidently wanted Kuvira destroyed, but Hiro held out hope that Kuvira was redeemable. “Believe me, Avatar Korra, it isn’t something that’s easy for me to admit. And you also have to believe me when I say, Kuvira had good intentions at first. Part of me truly believes that there’s still some good in her. I mean fuck, I was engaged to her. But maybe Suyin was right, maybe this is the only option.”

Before Korra can answer the crackling of the loudspeaker rang out around them.

“Attention citizens of Zaofu. Your leader, Su Beifong, attempted to attack me tonight while I slept, ignoring the terms of our truce. Luckily, I now have her and her assault team in custody.” It was Kuvira’s voice echoing throughout the night. Hiro’s eyes widened and she turned to Korra, who was also shocked at the news. “Rest assured that I will not take revenge on the peaceful citizens of Zaofu, unless your remaining representatives meet me outside the city at dawn to offer the full and unconditional surrender of your city. That is all.”

The loudspeaker cut out and they heard Opal calling for Korra’s name on the ground. Both of them clamored down the ladder to the other three at the steps.

“Korra! Korra, you can't let Kuvira get away with this! We have to go break out Mom and my brothers!” Opal pleaded.

“I agree. There’s no telling what Kuvira will do to them,” Hiro chimed.

“What you need is sleep ,” Baatar commanded from next to her. His voice made Hiro jump. He had been so quiet ever since Su and the twins left that it surprised her.

“But-”

“No,” he firmly said, gripping both of her shoulders. “You’ve worked nonstop ever since you got here last night. You need to rest. That’s an order.”

Hiro sighed, but knew better than to argue. And now that he had mentioned it, Hiro could feel her body calling out for a bed.

“I’ll wake you up tomorrow once everyone is home safe,” Baatar reassured. Hiro bit the inside of her cheek anxiously. Korra put a hand on her shoulder and she turned to face the Avatar.

“Jinora, Opal, and I will go talk to Kuvira at dawn, and, maybe, we can work something out. I promise, I'll do everything I can to keep the peace,” Korra comforted. Hiro nodded hesitantly before heading into the house, walking past Huan, Meelo and Ikki as she did.

She didn’t even have time to process her anxiety because as soon as she hit her bed, she knocked out right away.

---

Kuvira was enjoying herself more than she thought she would. She’s been planning on the Avatar’s return, but didn’t expect her to be so weak. Granted, Korra looked like shit in Kuvira’s opinion, with the peasant Earth Kingdom attire and frizzy hair. This definitely wasn’t the same Avatar she saved all those years ago in Zaofu from the Red Lotus. No, the girl in front of her now was sloppy and tried to fight with guttural strength than actual tact or thought.

Kuvira was always a gifted fighter. It’s how she moved up ranks with Suyin’s guards so quickly. She was one of the youngest guards ever to be promoted Captain in Zaofu and was wildly talented from a young age. Some even considered her one of the best metal benders of her time. She dedicated a lot of her youth to training and improving her gifted skillset. Although she trained under Suyin, who studied a more progressive and newer form of bending, Kuvira spent a lot of time studying old techniques as well. She kept herself grounded and alert, while also making sure to have complete awareness and control of her surroundings.

Not one foot out of line. Not one rock out of place. It was all about control.

For her, she expected more from Korra. Even with all four elements at her disposal, she could still barely land a decent hit on the Great Uniter. It was sad to watch really, but for Kuvira, it just drove her ego up. Here she was sparring with the Avatar, master of all four elements, and she barely broke a sweat.

Dare she say it, she was having fun.

“Come on, Avatar, get up! Show me what you've got!” she challenged smugly.

“No! Stay back!” Korra groaned, directing her attention to Opal standing behind Kuvira. “I can handle this.”

It made her even more confident knowing Opal was behind her, unable to help the Avatar. Who’s powerless now?

Kuvira got back in her fighting stance, eager for more. This is what got her blood pumping. This was what she was always good at. And she finally had an opponent worthy enough for her full strength as a metalbender.

Korra sent a fire punch right at Kuvira’s head, who dodged and countered the attack. Her body moved fluidly as she bent the ground at Korra’s feet, turning her around and putting her off balance. Korra counters and tries bending a chunk of earth back at Kuvira, but is met with a metal plate around her ankle. Kuvira throws her like a rag doll midair and to the ground a few yards away. She can hear her soldiers cheering after her.

“You have to go into the Avatar State! Do it !” Suyin commands from her platinum prison.

Kuvira is already lunging towards Korra, when she sees her eyes glow white and is propelled back by a gust of wind. The blast knocks the breath out of her and she groans, skidding across the earth and trying to regain her footing. Korra who’s now in the Avatar state is much quicker now and leaps towards Kuvira, landing right in front of her before sending another gust to push her back even further.

Kuvira is thrown back across the ground, her body groaning in pain from the sudden force. She feels her hair come out from its neat bun. It takes her a moment to make out her blurry vision, but when it clears, she looks up and sees Korra risen from the ground in an air spout. A giant boulder above her is about to crush her and Kuvira braces for the impact. Everything is moving too fast and the boulder is too big even for her to counter.

This was it. This was going to be her end

Suddenly, Korra fell out of the Avatar state, the boulder falling hopelessly next to her as Kuvira got on her feet. Korra had just tried to kill her under Suyin’s command. There was no turning back from that. It was now or never.

“I knew you were weak.” Kuvira shoots out two more metal bands and suspends Korra in the air by her wrists as she is getting ready for another attack. She smiles wickedly and sends Korra straight to the ground and trapping all but her head in a mound of earth. Kuvira stalks up to her, still trying to regain her breath as she releases six metal cuffs from her uniform. She bends them each to have a razor’s edge. This was it. This will show everyone that she should be taken seriously. That it wasn’t the monarchy or some stupid prince who saved the Earth Kingdom. It was all her. And she was going to make an example of Korra to begin the new era of her rule of the Earth Empire. I will prove to them that I will not be pushed around.

As she gets ready to end it, a squall of air sends her flying back towards her army. She grunts as she lands harshly on her back and two of her soldiers help her to her feet. Her eyes land on the airbenders and she scowls.

“You broke our agreement! Attack!”

---

Hours passed, but Hiro didn’t even feel like she slept an hour. When she woke up the sun was up and shining through the window of the guest room. Dawn. It was way past dawn now.

She flung herself out of bed, realizing that Baatar never came to get her. Which only meant that Su and the twins never returned. Her heart was racing as she sprinted down the empty hallways, trying to find someone. Zaofu was unusually quiet this morning, which only made her nausea grow.

Hiro burst through the main doors and saw Ikki and Meelo flying on to Pepper, the flying bison. Baatar Sr and Huan were also there, opening the dome for them to fly out of.

“Wait! Let me go with you!” Hiro shouted. Everyone was surprised. She had only been asleep for a few hours and no one was planning on waking her for a while.

“Uh no can do m’am. We’re going over enemy lines,” Meelo huffed. Ikki had the reins in her hands and was ready to take off. The motion drove Hiro to a panic.

“Please, I can help!” Hiro tried to push her way towards them, but Baatar held her back.

“You can’t leave Hiro, it’s too dangerous,” Baatar Sr said worriedly. “You need to stay here in Zaofu with us, you can’t risk getting captured. We can still save Zaofu.”

“No! We can’t.” His eyes widened at Hiro’s confession. Zaofu was a lost cause. They were going to be sitting here waiting to be taken by Kuvira. There was nothing left here for Hiro to do. She wet her lips and looked him dead in the eye. “Listen, I think...I think I can talk to her.”

“What?”

“Call me crazy, but I think I can get through to Kuvira.” “What do you mean?” Ikki inquired, her attention piquing at Hiro’s confession. “I don’t know exactly. But yesterday, she said something to me. I can save everyone if I can just sit down and talk to her.” She left out the part about Kuvira’s fixation on Hiro joining the Empire. She knew she could use herself as leverage if it came down to it.

But there was also something else on her mind ever since her conversation with Korra last night. Kuvira was power hungry and letting the control get to her. However their interaction yesterday showed a bit of humanity from Kuvira and Hiro couldn’t put a finger on the anxious feeling she had until now.

There was hope. Suyin was wrong. There was something still redeemable in Kuvira. It was small and Hiro could barely make it out, but when she looked into Kuvira’s eyes yesterday, she swore she could see it. Fear . And fear meant that Kuvira was holding something back: a weakness. If Hiro could find Kuvira’s weakness, then maybe, maybe , she could save the Earth Kingdom. And possibly even save Kuvira from herself.

Ikki and Meelo exchanged concerned looks before Ikki turned to her.

“Hurry, hop on.” Hiro did as she was instructed and climbed on to Pepper. She looked down at Baatar and Huan with sadness in her eyes. She could see how grief stricken Baatar was. Huan was all that was left of their children. That look he gave her of utter defeat, made her solidify her decision. She may not have been able to save Zaofu, but she was going to save everyone. Even if that meant throwing herself in front of her dictator ex-fiance to do it.

---

Chaos ensued. Opal and Jinora tried to keep a steady tornado to push the army back. They were able to throw back the front lines and keep them from advancing. Kuvira struggles against the wind, but manages to gain her footing enough to shoot two metal plates out at Opal, successfully handcuffing her wrists together. Opal falls to the ground in surprise at her new restraints.

“Opal!” Jinora only has time to react before she’s also restrained by Kuvira’s metal bands. The army behind her is still struggling to get back in formation when Kuvira walks up to the three of them. Her hair is an utter mess now, but she couldn’t care less. She leers down at the airbenders with distaste.

“I have to say, you both are strong to keep my army back, but not strong enough,” she taunts.

“Dive Pepper, dive!” Kuvira turns her attention above to the flying bison coming down. On it she sees two airbenders and… “Hiro?”

It comes out in a whisper and she shakes her head, focusing on the three captured before her. She releases more sharp metal from her uniform, directing them on Jinora, Opal and Korra. Her attention is drawn to Korra, who seems to be coming from her earth prison.

“Any closer and I take them out, right now,” Kuvira threatened. Ikki gripped the reins tighter on Pepper, causing them to stop midair. Below them the army was almost all put together again, getting ready to storm Zaofu and the three prisoners. “Hold, we don’t want to aggravate the air nation,” she turns her attention to the people on the bison, ��These two interfered during a peace treaty, therefore considered terrorists to the Earth Empire. They will be taken and punished accordingly.”

Hiro looked on in horror between Meelo and Ikki. They were two kids, and even though they knew how to kick ass, this was beyond them. She could see them struggling with what to do. On one hand if they tried saving Jinora, Opal and Korra, Kuvira could kill them in an instant. But they couldn’t just fly back from their mission without Korra and their sister. It was a choice that needed to be made and Hiro only had a second to think before reacting herself.

“Kuvira!”

---

“Kuvira! Please stop this!” Hiro begged. Kuvira barely glanced at her, ready to turn around and leave the Avatar and airbenders for her soldiers to take care of. She needed to head into Zaofu herself if she wanted to claim a true victory. “If you let them go, I’ll go with you willingly!”

That made Kuvira hesitate. Hiro now had her full attention and Hiro noticed. The army around them were antsy, the tension in the air was bursting at the seams. Kuvira knew Hiro could only get a few words in before everything fell apart.

“Now why would I want that?” Kuvira teased.

“You know I created the best security systems for Zaofu and for you back in Ba Sing Se. I know how the security systems work and how to make them better, better than Baatar or Varrick. I could take the Earth Empire to newer heights than you could’ve ever imagined.” The words spilled out of Hiro so fast she had to gasp at the end to catch her breath as she heaved. All four airbenders looked on at her in shock and Korra had just regained consciousness at Hiro’s speech. She didn’t take her eyes off of Kuvira for a second though.

Kuvira was impressed. Sure she could easily take Hiro forcibly right now and take that sky bison and Airbenders with them for interfering with international affairs. But Kuvira also needed to think of the bigger picture. If she was going to continue ruling the Earth Empire, she had to show at least some compassion as a leader. Already people were saying she was too harsh and cruel of a ruler to the Earth citizens. She used her military strength as a weapon often to get what she wanted. It was easy to make people obey when they were put in tight positions.

But she already wasn’t popular with the United Republic. It didn’t let Kuvira go by that she had air benders in her clutches. It wouldn’t be good to have a second large enemy like the Air Nation, especially after seeing their strength with only two of them. No, Kuvira was going to be smart about this and as diplomatic as she could be.

“Hiro, no!” Suyin cried, but she was ignored. Hiro motioned for Ikki to land Pepper, who did so hesitantly. Kuvira didn’t react at first, but simply watched as Hiro climbed down from the bison and held both arms up in surrender.

“You’ve got a deal. The Avatar and airbenders are free to go.” Kuvira returns all her metal razors back to her uniform and unbends the earth from Korra who fell to the ground immediately. Jinora and Opal rushed to her side, trying to get her on Pepper as quickly as possible.

Hiro’s eyes widened.

“What about Suyin, Wing and Wei?” Her eyes traveled nervously to the trio in their platinum boxes. They had been stunned by her appearance into silence, unable to even think of words to react to what was happening.

“It’d be foolish of me to let go the previous leader of Zaofu who has been trying to overthrow my empire, go. And her assault team who tried to attack me in the middle of the night while I was asleep. They stay, and that’s final.” Kuvira motioned for her soldiers to advance on to Hiro. Two of them flanked her as she walked towards Kuvira. “I have no issues with the Air Nation or the Avatar. She wanted to fight me, so we did, and the airbenders attacked me during a truce. I think I’m being more than fair here.”

“Cut the bullshit. You knew what you were doing.” Kuvira’s lip quirked upwards before turning back to the sky bison and the individuals on it, looking on in horror.

“You might want to get going,” she instructed. “Make sure to tell Master Tenzin and President Raiko, that this was a gift from me. Don’t take it for granted.” She gave an extra devious smile to Opal who could only glare down back at her as the bison took off into the air. She turned to her army still anxiously waiting for their next orders. Kuvira thrusts her arm in the air in victory a wide smile embellished on her lips.

“Zaofu is ours!” The army cheers alongside as the dust clears from the airbender’s tornado. She turns to Hiro who has been led to stand directly in front of her now. She’s still on her high as she looks at the other metalbender triumphantly. “Oh Hiro. It’s good to be home.”

---

“I think Su should do something about this.” Kuvira had her head upside down and was drying her hair vigorously with a towel. “What do you mean?” she asked groggily, sleepy from their bath. She lay cuddled on her side of the bed, waiting for Kuvira. “The Earth Kingdom is in ruins. Master Tenzin and President Raiko are coming tomorrow and I’m assuming it’s to ask Suyin for help.” Hiro nodded, listening carefully. Kuvira had been keeping up with the news closely from around the Earth Kingdom. The only province that wasn’t thrown in chaos was Zaofu and technically they were a separate entity from the rest of the nation. It seemed like everyday they were getting more distress messages from neighboring villages and towns asking for food and resources. They tried their best, but could only do so much given the circumstances. Bandits had sprung up and were invading smaller towns and the kingdom seemed to have fallen overnight. It seemed like no matter how many messages or pleas they got, Suyin stayed neutral much to Kuvira’s annoyance.

“Things are rough out there. We’re lucky we’re safe here, in Zaofu.” Kuvira snorted at Hiro’s quite ignorant response. She flipped her head back and let her hair cascaded down her back. It was still quite damp, but she couldn’t be bothered. It was always such a bitch to dry. Maybe Hiro was right...she did need a haircut. “But does that bother you? We’re lucky but what about everyone else?” Kuvira threw the towel in a laundry bin before climbing into bed next to Hiro. She lay facing the other girl, who was looking at her curiously.

“Why is this on your mind so much?” Hiro inquired.

“I don’t know. Maybe I don’t like seeing people hurting when I know we could be doing something...that I could be helping them.”

“It doesn’t always have to be about you darling,” Hiro sighed. She reached over and squeezed Kuvira’s shoulder. She was careful though, knowing it was still sore. Her thick eyebrows knit in confusion.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean that you don’t need to always be at the front of the fight. You already do so much for us, for the Metal Clan. Isn’t that enough?” “But there’s a whole country of people out there starving and dying!” Hiro was surprised when Kuvira raised her voice. “All Suyin and the Metal Clan do is protect their own.” Hiro caught the tone of bitterness in her voice.

“Why are you getting mad at me for this?” she asked carefully. “I’m not!” Kuvira tugged away, making Hiro’s hand drop between them. She lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling. “Well it seems like you are!” Hiro huffed. She leaned up on an elbow, trying to make Kuvira look at her, but her eyes were glued to the ceiling. She was trying to search it for the answers. There just had to be something more to life than just sitting in Zaofu. It seemed like this was something calling for her to do.

“You should be upset. This isn’t about you or me or Zaofu. It’s...it’s about everyone.” The realization was clear in her voice as she struggled to pull her thoughts together. It had been weighing on her mind now, this feeling of dissatisfaction and guilt building inside her. Who was she to be living comfy when the rest of the world was suffering? “And from what it seems, the Avatar is out of commission for who knows how long.”

Everyone knew that Avatar Korra needed time to recover after the final battle with the Red Lotus. Kuvira had been on the front lines for that fight. She saw the beating that Korra took from Zaheer and his team. Rumors are that she’s gone back home to the Southern Water Tribe to recover, probably with the help of Katara. Who knows when she’d be well enough to return to her Avatar duties? Or if she even realizes how the rest of the world is falling apart without her? Kuvira didn’t blame her, but without the Avatar or any real leadership, someone needed to step up.

“So that’s what you think? You’re trying to be the Avatar and take on the responsibility of the world now?” Hiro asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“Is that wrong? I don’t see you doing anything to help.”

“Because it’s not my job. My life is here with you in Zaofu and the technology I work with everyday. Being with you is enough for me,” Hiro sighed. Clearly annoyed, she turned on her side with her back facing Kuvira. But her ears perked up to Hiro’s words and now she was the one sat up and staring at her partner’s back.

“What does that mean?” The familiarity of the conversation shifted and Kuvira clenched her jaw, knowing what was coming next. “I’m not doing this again.”

“No you already started, so say it,” she urged.

Hiro exhaled, already regretting opening this can of problems once again. She sat up and turned on the bedside lamp. She stayed seated on the edge of the bed with her back to Kuvira.

“You just can’t sit still Kuvira.” Hiro’s voice was laced with disappointment, which made Kuvira’s heart sink. The last thing she wanted was Hiro to be disappointed in her, her biggest advocate. “I love how passionate you are, about your people and your job, but it’s hard to keep up with. I’m not you. I don’t move as fast or make quick spur of the moment decisions. It’s not easy for me. Sometimes it just feels like our life isn’t enough for you that you have to make up for it by doing reckless things.”

“Sorry it’s such a problem for you,” she bit back. She let the sadness creep into her voice and she could feel the anger bubbling down to her hands from her heart. “If I’m such a burden then why are you with me then?”

Hiro turned to look at her, face as hard as stone. She was wide awake now and pissed. Their gentle loving bath from earlier was completely erased from both of their minds.

“See! This is what I don’t want to do! You take something I say and take it to the extreme!” Hiro fell back on the bed and ran a hand over her face.

“You’ve said enough.” Kuvira pushed the covers off of her and headed towards the door.

“Where are you going?”

She didn’t respond, she just left their bedroom. Maybe she’d go to the gym and hit something or find a sizable rock to launch in the courtyard. Wherever she decided to go, it was better than being insulted by her own fiance.

#kuvira #kuvira fic #kuvira x oc #originally on ao3 #tlok #lok fanfic #legend of korra fic #kuvira x reader

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