Work Text:
Tarrlok wasn’t one to deny himself or others any pleasures. This meant he showered Korra with gifts and affection, left little tokens for Noatak to find, and kept everything he might ever need on hand for an easy and enjoyable day.
When Korra came home with a little wet pygmy puma, Tarrlok’s first thought is that he wished he’d found it first, to be the one to gift it, even as he melts at the green eyes looking up at him.
Noatak doesn’t even look up from his newspaper as he intones a resounding “No.”
“What?” Korra asks, disbelieving as she dries off the puma. Tarrlok is hovering right beside her, stroking the small head and gently bending water away.
Noatak’s jaw sets and his eyes cut across the room. “I said no, you’re not keeping it.” Standing up, he folds the copy of United Daily News down precisely before walking out of the room. Noatak paused at the door to intone dangerously. "I had better not see that... thing by the time I get back."
Korra and Tarrlok exchanged a glance. Noatak obviously thought the issue was done and over.
“You know,” Tarrlok said, smiling at the purring puma. “We are two thirds majority.”
Korra grinned at him and threw a companionable arm around his waist. “Tarrlok, that was just what I wanted to hear!”
Smiling down at her head, he started herding towards the bathroom. “Well, shall we get this little one clean and comfortable in his new home?”
“Ohh yeah!” Korra cheered and kept up with him stride for stride.
In little time at all, they had the puma clean, dry and fed. Tarrlok was kneeling on the floor, stroking up and down its back with gentle scratches. Mug of tea in hand, Korra watched him from where she leaned against the sink, an indulgent smile on her face.
“So, what’re you gonna name him?” She asked curiously.
Tarrlok looked up at her, eyebrows raised. “Me?” He asked curiously. “Why don’t you name him?”
Korra shrugged. “I thought you might be better for it. You seem to like him and all, and I’m terrible with names.”
“You were the one who named Naga, weren’t you?” Tarrlok asked her.
“Ha, yeah, no.” Korra admitted glibly. “My dad named her. I was calling Naga ‘Fee-fee Fluffy-uppy’ when I was a child.”
Fee-fee Fluffy-uppy? Tarrlok mouthed.
Korra laughed raucously aloud. “Your face!” She grinned at his expression, which was shifting to indignation. “No, no! I really called her that, until my dad sat me down and told me that she didn’t like that, that her name was Naga, after the spirit dog. I thought I was being disrespectful or something, and have called her that since.”
Shaking his head as he tried to imagine Naga being called ‘Fee-fee,’ Tarrlok smiled. “Only you, Korra.”
She beamed back at him. “So, what’ll you name him? You really should before Noa gets home, or he’ll have one more argument to not keep him.”
“Well, I was thinking Ping, but he’s not going to grow up very delicate.” Tarrlok admitted, even as he fluffed the fur around the puma’s chin. The pygmy puma himself was obviously in heaven, purring loud enough to echo throughout the room and occasionally licking Tarrlok’s hand.
“Maybe Heng, for permanent. To get on Noatak’s nerves that we’re keeping him.” Tarrlok suggested with a sly smirk.
Just as Korra was about to respond, the main door to the house opened, and they could hear Noatak busying himself with the coat rack.
She shot him a wry look, saying ‘you’d better choose quick’ before she set her mug down. Korra swayed her hips all the way to Noatak, greeting him with a kiss and exchanging gentle touches, the usual of the house.
Tarrlok still couldn’t think of something, and Heng no longer seemed as appropriately witty.
Then it was too late, Noatak was approaching the kitchen, and Tarrlok’s shoulders tensed warily. He opened his mouth, about to say something, anything to sway Noatak, when the man stopped dead in his tracks.
One second passed, Tarrlok slowly stood up. Korra looked up worriedly.
Another. And then-
Ah-choo!
Noatak sneezed violently.
Ah-choo! Ah-choo!
A smirk slowly grew on Tarrlok’s face. “You know we already love you, right?” He jabbed dryly.
Noatak sent him a baleful look, and his eyes riveted on the pygmy puma. “That… that…”
“I am keeping him.” Tarrlok said with his voice remarkably steady.
“Tarrlok-“ Noatak protested.
“I think I’ll name him Tìpen. I believe that would be a fitting name, don’t you?”
Noatak shook his head, “No, you-“
Tarrlok calmly interrupted him again. “Gifts aren’t something that should be returned, especially since Tìpen is a rescue animal. That would just be cruel.”
While amused at the byplay before her, Korra had to speak up. “Tarrlok, if he’s allergic…”
Tarrlok smiled at her. “There are shampoos for that.” He would, of course, know such a thing.
Noatak closed his eyes in frustration. Obviously, he had been overruled. It was a new sensation for Noatak, and he wasn’t sure he liked it, just as he wasn’t sure he liked that puma.
Tarrlok was happy, though. Sighing, Noatak gave in.