Work Text:
Korra glanced at the clock: 4:30. Mei Li's dance lesson was at 5, so she called to the nine year old, "We leave for dance in fifteen minutes!"
The mother of the kid she was nannying had decided that it was "very important to have art in young children's lives!!!!!" So, it became up to Korra to bring Mei Li to her dance lesson every Tuesday and Friday. She rolled her eyes; she would be perfectly happy to bring Mei Li to soccer or swimming or some sort of martial arts, but dancing?
As Korra mentally prepared herself for sitting through another class of the instructor calling out positions for the little kids, her cell phone rang on the kitchen table. Mei Li's mom.
"Hi, Lin!" Korra chirped into the phone, leaning it onto her shoulder so she could use both hands to make Mei Li's dinner for after her lesson.
"Hi Korra! So it's been a few dance lessons and I was wondering if you could just ask the instructor really fast how Mei's doing? I'd like to know if this is really beneficial and she's being instructed as well as she could be."
"Course, I'll do that after practice today."
"Thanks so much, Korra! I'll see both of you at 7."
Lin wasn't an altogether unpleasant person to be around, but her cheeriness and flower childness was sometimes a bit more than Korra could handle. Her pill of a child on the other hand...
Speak of the devil, Mei Li slumped down the stairs with her new dance bag slung over her shoulder. "I'm ready," she mumbled.
"Great, let's go." She stuck the dinner into Mei's bag and they left for the lesson.
**************************************
"Mei, go get dressed in the locker room, you're going to be late," Korra pleaded with the girl in the lobby of the studio.
All the other girls in the class were on the floor already, stretching and getting ready for class. Korra glanced at her watch: 4:57. She sighed. "Please, Mei."
The instructor stuck her head through the opening in the windows looking onto the floor. "Hey, Mei! We can wait for you, if you want to get ready now. Otherwise, just come in when you're ready."
She flashed a smile at Korra, who grinned back appreciatively. To her relief, Mei grumbled off into the locker room.
"Thank you so much," Korra said to the instructor.
"No problem, I used to be like her." She called out to the other girls on the floor, "Stretch, ladies, I'll be there soon!" Then said to Korra, "I'm Kuvira, you're Mei Li's mom?"
Korra's eyes widened. "God, no, I'm just a nanny. My name's Korra."
Kuvira looked oddly more relaxed at this. "Nice to meet you, Korra."
Korra's eyes scanned Kuvira, who was wearing tights and a fitted t-shirt, her hair tied back into a braid that went halfway down her back. Korra's eyes landed back on Kuvira's face, and she reddened slightly to see that the instructor was staring back at her, a smirk on her face.
The woman should not be allowed to smirk that sexily.
Korra raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have a class to be teaching?"
She was glad to see that the other woman's cheeks grew slightly pink at this, but she was no less confident as she swung back onto the studio floor, commanding with something of a soft swagger.
"Ladies and gents, let's move on over to the barre and start fine-tuning our first position..."
Korra stopped listening, she was focused on how Kuvira's body glided when she demonstrated the moves. She pulled her computer out of her bag for something to occupy herself, even started trying to write an essay for her world literature class, but no words flowed from her fingertips. She glanced up at Kuvira on the floor, who, to her surprise, had also looked over at her. One of those gloriously modeled eyebrows flicked upwards in the moment before Kuvira continued her class.
6:00 came before Korra knew it, and Mei Li was trudging into the locker room as though Vaatu himself was dragging her, while the other girls in the class walked in chatting happily. What was with that girl?
Just as she was contemplating how to ask Kuvira about Mei Li's progress without seeming thirsty, Korra glanced up to find the other woman standing inches away from her chair.
"I--Mei's mom wanted me to ask how she's doing in class," Korra spluttered out finally.
Kuvira raised an eyebrow. Nothing seemed to faze that perfectly angled face of hers.
"No, really she did. Something about benefitting Mei's soul?"
Kuvira crouched down in front of Korra's chair and leaned closer. "Just between you and me, I don't think anything can benefit that girl's soul."
Korra laughed. "What can I tell Lin so that she doesn't have my ass and yours?"
"I'll spare yours, mine you can have," Kuvira whispered.
Korra's stomach dropped to about her knees. Holy fucking shit.
Kuvira glanced behind her to see the girls starting to emerge from the locker room. She stood up, but maintained eye contact with Korra. "She's doing really well, I'm seeing a lot of steady improvement. She'll be ready for the intermediate class by the time she graduates from this age group if she keeps up the great work."
"I'll tell Mei's mom," Korra breathed as she watched Kuvira take a scrap of paper from the counter, scribble something in it, and press it into Korra's hand.
"Tell Lin she can call if she wants more info."
"What about it I want more?" Korra stood up, leaving only inches between herself and Kuvira.
"You know where to find me."
Korra watched as the other woman swaggered confidently back onto the floor to teach her intermediate class.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How old could she have been?
What's that rule again...half plus seven? So as a 23 year old she could date an 18 or 19 year old... Maybe she already had a boyfriend? She was hot as hell, she probably already had someone...
"Ms. Kuvira?"
She couldn't stop thinking about that girl's hair...she couldn't have been younger than about 20...but girls these days look a lot older than they are...
"Ms. Kuvira! I really need to use the bathroom!!"
Fuck. She'd completely zoned out of her class in the middle of demonstrating a move. She was surprised she hadn't fallen over, damn it.
"Of course, Annie. Go ahead." Kuvira shook her head. Snap out of it, Kuvira, she told herself. The day will be over in a half hour, then you can check your phone.
"Thanks, everybody! Have a great evening!" Kuvira waved her 11-14 beginner class off the floor, dying to see if Korra had texted her.
"Kuvira, could I speak with you for a moment?" A voice came from the lobby. Probably a parent. Shit.
"Of course, Mrs. Agarwal," Kuvira said politely, turning to see who was calling her.
The mother's face didn't look angry, but Kuvira had learned to expect the unexpected from her students' parents.
"You seemed very distracted today in class, and I just want to make sure that you're doing your job as well as you can," Mrs. Agarwal said. Kuvira was grateful she was keeping her voice down, but she absolutely did not want the rest of the parents doubting her work.
Solemnly, she began, "I was a little distracted today, a few things are going on in my personal life, but I won't let them affect my work again. I'm very sorry."
Mrs. Agarwal smiled and patted Kuvira on the arm. "Thank you, dear."
Kuvira sighed, internally cursing herself. How could she have been so stupid?
Class was over for the day, however, so she waved, smiling, to her students, then went to collect her things from the back room.
Heart thumping, she pressed the button at the top of her phone.
She had 7 messages from the day, since she had a strict rule for herself about not checking it while she was working. Frantically scrolling through her lock screen's messages from her adoptive brother and sister, there were finally two from the same unknown number.
Heyy, one text at 6:37 read.
Another from 7:42 said, You're probably still working, but I got several more hugs than usual from Mei's mom after telling her your *glowing report.* Thanks XD
Kuvira smiled involuntarily, but, as she soon discovered, uncontrollably. A few students were still getting ready with their parents, so she stood at the counter making conversation.
"Hey, Julie, going anywhere special for the weekend?" Kuvira asked the last girl left in the waiting room. The girl was always waiting past when all the other students left, and it broke her heart to see her keep checking her phone and looking out the window as the other students trickled out.
Julie shook her head, then said, "But I think Mom and I are going to Zaofu to visit my uncle in a few weeks."
"Really?" Kuvira's face lit up. "I grew up there, my mom's the mayor."
Julie looked up at her, actually seeming interested. "You're Suyin's daughter?"
Kuvira laughed. "Adoptive." She clicked the home button on her phone: 8:19. And a new text from Korra.
Trying not to grin, she said tentitavely, "Do you want a ride home, Julie?"
Julie turned red and glanced at her own phone. "My mom should be coming," she said in a small voice.
"Just let me know if you need it." Kuvira tried to make her voice as friendly and welcoming as possible, but those emotions weren't really her fortes.
A few more minutes passed in silence as Kuvira tried to think of a response to Korra's texts. The latest one read, Mei's actually practicing her positions from today. Lin's over the moon, she wants to meet you. Good luck! :P ;)
Kuvira's thumbs fiddled over the screen as she tried to think of a reply. Witty but not sappy. Kuvira was not sappy.
"Texting someone, Ms. Kuvira?" Julie joked, but Kuvira's head snapped up.
She laughed, but it sounded forced even to her. Was she really going to ask this 14 year old for something to text a girl?
The answer is no she was absolutely not.
"Just someone I met earlier." She tried not to smile, but she wasn't sure if it worked.
Kuvira went back to trying to figure out a response. If Julie's mom could hurry the fuck up that would be just gr--
"Ms. Kuvira?"
"Yeah, Julie?"
The girl started speaking so rapidly Kuvira wasn't entirely sure what she was saying at first. "Could I please have that ride home? I thought my mom was coming but she just texted me saying she'd have to stay even later at work and my dad doesn't want to come and my sister is out with her friends and I'm really sorry to ask but I don't know how else I'd get home."
Kuvira smiled. "Of course. Let me just grab the rest of my stuff."
It was definitely weird having a fourteen year old in the passenger's seat of her car, Kuvira thought, but she knew very well that situations are only as awkward as you make them. So, when the two of them were securely strapped in, she turned the radio to her favorite pop station, which she assumed Julie probably also listened to.
"Do you like this song?" Kuvira asked as the anthemic song of the year came on, but as she briefly glanced at Julie, she didn't appear to be listening.
Kuvira turned down the radio slightly, then, uncomfortably, she stuttered, "Uh, is everything, um, okay, Julie?"
Julie nodded, appearing to snap out of whatever funk she was in. "Yeah! I love this song."
Korra chewed her lip. She'd already texted Kuvira three times, that was definitely more than she should have. She probably thought she was way too into it.
"Agh!" Korra shouted, banging her head against the steering wheel of her Varrick Industries car. She knew for a fact that Kuvira's last class ended at 8. So why hadn't she texted back?
Maybe she just wasn't as interested as Korra had originally thought. But that ass comment, I mean, come on. Who just throws shit like that around?
Maybe she already has a girlfriend. Or boyfriend.
But then why would she be flirting with Korra?
Ping!
Kuvira?!
I'll definitely have to meet Lin ;)
Soon after that, another ping!
How would you feel about coming to the studio at 8 tomorrow night?
A date??? Holy shit, yes!
She quickly typed back, I'll be there!
Korra rested her head on the steering wheel and grinned like an idiot.
After replying to Korra as fast as her fingers would type at a red light and trying her hardest not to start smiling, Kuvira asked, "Wait, Julie, where do you live?"
"181st and January Street, it's by the library," the girl said timidly through the blaring of some song about booming and clapping.
Just then, her phone gave a small beep!
Her phone. It was just sitting there between Kuvira and Julie. Kuvira could see out of the corner of her eye Julie trying to read it.
Thankfully, they got to Julie's house somewhat quickly, and the young girl climbed out of the car, thanked Kuvira extensively, and hurried into the house.
Kuvira pulled out of the driveway, drove down the street, turned the corner, then pulled over to see what Korra had said.
I'll be there!
Thank God. Then another text:
What's up in the life of you?
She was making conversation. Bless Korra.
8 pm could not come fast enough. Kuvira was closing the studio again, since the other girl working that day was sick. Her masters classes during the day didn't require too much brainpower, and she went through her dance instruction as focused as possible, motivation and drive eradicating all else from her mind. Dancing was what she loved, so she let it flow through her. Plus, she wanted to warm up for what she wanted to show Korra later.
7:45 and her 11-14 advanced class was wrapping up.
"What do we want to do for the last ten or fifteen minutes?" She asked her class as they sat in a circle doing some static stretching.
Yeeun raised her hand. "Can you show us the next dance we'll be doing?"
"Yeah!!" The four other girls exclaimed in agreement.
Kuvira chuckled. "Well, if you guys insist. Scooch back a little, it takes up quite a bit of the floor. Let's see if I can remember it...."
She walked quickly over to the speakers and popped in a VarriDisk with "Advanced 7" written in permanent marker.
Kuvira stood in the center of the room, not at all self-conscious as the dance begun.
Korra slipped into the studio at seven minutes to 8:00 and immediately her breath caught in her throat. Kuvira was dancing for the young girls in the class, who looked a few years older than Mei Li's group. She was absolutely gliding around the floor, and Korra could see her muscles flowing through her tights and t-shirt. It was gorgeous. She caught sight of Korra, but this didn't seem to faze her. She was so beautiful, sweeping up and down the studio, and her green eyes, as they linked with Korra's, seemed to be on fire.
And then the song was over, and the spell was broken.
Breathing heavily, Kuvira said, "Hope you gals are looking forward to dancing that one!"
"We are!" "Oh my goodness, yes!" "That was really nice, Ms. Kuvira."
Kuvira followed her girls out into the lobby where their parents were waiting, and stopped in front of Korra, who was leaning on the counter.
"Really great, Ms. Kuvira," Korra said, playfully imitating her students on the last two words.
"I'm glad you think so," Kuvira smiled, tapping Korra's chin lightly with her fore and middle fingers.
One by one, the girls and their parents cleared out of the waiting room until it was just the two of them left.
Kuvira took Korra's hand apprehensively, but then when the other girl clasped it firmly, she intertwined their fingers and pulled Korra onto the floor.
"Do you dance?" Kuvira asked excitedly.
Korra laughed. "I took lessons when I was younger but now I'm more into martial arts. TaeKwonDo, karate, that sort of thing."
"I did that for a while when I was younger," Kuvira said, lifting Korra's hand into the air and twirling her in a circle.
"You should definitely show me some dancing stuff," Korra laughed. "You know, what you were doing earlier was gorgeous."
Kuvira grinned as she walked over to the speaker and plugged a little extension cord into her phone. "There's more where that came from."
A relatively new album from a fire nation singer, Hozier, began to play.
"I love this song!" Korra jumped into the air as Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene started.
Kuvira skipped back over to Korra. "So do I, I love the whole album."
She took Korra's hands again, and a rush of warmth spread down Korra's body. "What you're going to do is lift your arms and just dance. Nothing special, just whatever you want. I'll do it with you."
Korra blushed. "But you're, like, a professional dancer. I'm almost certainly going to embarrass myself."
"Don't worry about that," Kuvira grinned as she stepped closer, slipping her hands around Korra's waist, dangerously close to her butt.
Korra put her hands around Kuvira's neck, and they danced. Not slowly, not wildly, but controlledly. Kuvira twirled Korra, then the two began something similar to a waltz.
"You realize we're waltzing to an indie rock song, right?" Korra laughed, throwing her head back.
"What else do you want to waltz to!?" Kuvira shouted back, increasing their pace.
The song ended and the two women fell into each other, laughing hysterically.
The next song that came on was Like Real People Do.
"I love this one too," Kuvira said. They just swayed for a moment with Kuvira's hands around Korra's shoulders and the latter with hers on Kuvira's waist.
To Korra's slight surprise, Kuvira started singing along. "I will not ask you where you came from, I would not ask and neither should you.. Honey just put your sweet lips on my lips and we can kiss like real people do..."
"If you insist," Korra whispered, and leaned in to press her lips against Kuvira's. The other responded enthusiastically, and Korra could feel her tongue begin to find its way around.
After a few moments, they broke apart.
"I've wanted to do that since the second I saw you at Mei Li's first lesson," Kuvira grinned.
"I bet I can dance to whatever song comes next better than you," Korra challenged Kuvira. She could tell that this girl liked a good competition. Liked it.
The fire in Kuvira's eyes seemed to grow brighter. "You're on."
A faster paced song came on, and Korra began dancing, mixing in some of her tae kwon do moves, a pirouette followed by a number two round kick, followed by something wacky she'd picked up at a club.
Kuvira was leaning against the barre, laughing hysterically, but looking at Korra with an expression she couldn't quite place.
Korra finished with a twirl, took a bow, then, looking directly at Kuvira, grinned, "Your turn."