Chapter Text

This was a mistake.

Asami looked around the crowded venue. The place was packed with young people in various states of inebriation. The opening band had finished playing thirty minutes earlier, and everyone was anxious for the headliner to take the stage. A particularly loud group pushed past her to get closer to the stage, spilling a good amount of cheap beer on her arm in the process. She shot them a dirty look as they passed, which went unnoticed, and tried to wipe her jacket clean.

This wasn’t Asami’s usual scene. Well, if she was being honest, she didn’t have much of a scene. As a concert violinist and Vice President of Development for the Sato Corporation, she didn’t have much free time for socializing. Between rehearsals, meetings, and practice, she was lucky to get any time to herself. I should have just told Mako I was busy. He would have understood.

When Mako had called to invite her to the show, Asami had been hesitant. She and Mako had dated for a while, but it hadn’t worked out between them romantically. They were still good friends though, and met every now and then for drinks or something similarly casual, and over time she had become friends with his younger brother Bolin as well. The brothers had formed The Fire Ferrets two years ago, with Mako on the bass and Bolin playing drums. They had gone through a string of lead singers almost as long as Tahno of the WolfBats’ (rival band of The Fire Ferrets) list of past girlfriends. As a musician, Asami thought that their band had potential, but the revolving door of lead singers, none of which were especially good, had always held them back.

“Asami, our new lead singer is the one, I swear,” Mako had said. “She’s by far the best singer we’ve ever had. And she shreds on the guitar, too! You have to come check her out. I’ll get you on the guest list.”

Asami had tried to think of a reason not to go, but ultimately she couldn’t come up with one. She’d decided that a night out might be good for her, give her a chance to clear her head and let off some steam before her big performance in a few weeks. She could only practice that crazy complicated 32nd note passage of her piece so many times before her fingers and brain turned to mush.

But now that she was here, all she felt was alone, sweaty, and uncomfortable.

Maybe I should get a drink, too. I wonder if they have any decent Pinot Noir. She looked at the sticky floor, peeling paint on the walls, and plastic beer bottles in most of the concertgoer’s hands. Doubtful.

Just as Asami turned to head towards the bar, the stage lights came on. The crowd cheered as Mako and Bolin took the stage. Mako picked up his bass and fiddled with the tuning pegs, checking that it was tuned to his liking, while Bolin gave his cymbals a few light hits and tested his bass drum with a couple of kicks.



Then, she walked out on stage.

Effortlessly cool in a way that Asami never could be, the new lead singer took her place at the front of the stage. Her tan skin practically glowed under the strong stage lights as she checked out her pedals and slid the strap of her Gibson Les Paul over her muscular shoulder, obviously toned from years of supporting a heavy guitar. She looked vaguely exotic, and Asami wondered if she was native to Republic City like she and the boys or if she hailed from elsewhere.

Once she was satisfied with her set-up, the girl looked over her shoulder to her band mates. They each gave her a smile and a thumbs-up, and she turned back around to face the audience. The crowd had fallen quiet in anticipation, and Asami realized she was holding her breath. The lead singer’s charisma and stage presence were readily apparent without her even singing a note. It was as if she had a cast a spell over the room.

The girl walked up to the mic stand and looked out over the sea of people. Her face broke out into a cocky, lop-sided grin. She took a deep breath and yelled into the mic-

“ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR!”

The spell was broken. But only to be replaced by a stronger spell, that of the girl’s powerful voice mixing with the driving drum beat, the steady rhythmic bass, and her own melodic guitar playing. She sang with passion and joy, and her spirit was infectious. The roar of the crowd cheering and dancing along to the song was deafening. It was like she was bending the energy of the crowd to her will, and their enthusiasm only encouraged the band to play harder.

Asami felt herself entranced by the perfect union of the three musicians on stage. Mako was right- the new girl was far and away the best front-woman they had ever had, and she fit so well with the two guys that Asami could barely recall what the band had sounded like without her. They played together like they had been playing together for years, instead of the few short weeks that Asami knew it had been. Even Mako and Bolin sounded better than Asami remembered. The three Fire Ferrets were, well, on fire.

Asami quickly forgot her earlier trepidation and jumped along with the crowd, letting the power of the music take over. I’m actually having…fun. Been a long time since I could say that. The pulsing music was electric in her veins.

She swayed in rhythm with her neighbors during the slower songs, even holding up her phone as a “lighter” while enjoying the lead singer’s voice, which was suited just as well to energetic rock anthems as to heartfelt ballads.

When the band finished its last song, Asami cheered and clapped enthusiastically with everyone else, screaming “Encore!” and “One more song!” After a few moments of that, the band reappeared to give the crowd what they wanted.

Their encore song was the best one yet, complete with an epic drum solo by Bolin, a deep bass groove by Mako, and a killer guitar solo by the at-this-point sweaty and smiling new girl. Asami watched her fingers positively fly up and down the frets as she bit her lip in concentration, nodding her head with the beat, ponytails swinging back and forth. She’d probably make a pretty good violinist.

Eventually the lead singer struck the song’s final powerful chord. All three band members were breathing heavily and grinning from ear to ear, still riding the performance high. With a big wave, the girl shouted into the microphone-

“Thank you Republic City! We’re The Fire Ferrets, good night!”

At that, she chucked her guitar pick into the crowd. Asami saw it coming towards her in what felt like slow motion. She reached her hand out and it landed right in her palm. She could still feel the warmth of the other girl’s hand through the flimsy plastic, and it felt like Asami was holding a piece of her. She closed her fist around it as the girl, Mako, and Bolin walked off stage.

The house lights came up, the universal sign that the show was really over and it was really time for everyone to get the hell out. But Asami stood in place while the exhausted crowd starting filing out around her. Why does it feel like I’ve caught the bouquet at a wedding?

When she finally looked up from her daze, the place had largely emptied out. I’m the only weirdo who would stick around after the show’s ended. She carefully pocketed the pick and walked over to the door that led backstage.

I should probably say hi to Mako and Bolin and congratulate them. The thought that she might run into the lead singer backstage may have crossed her mind, too.

She gave her name to the scarily large bouncer guarding the stage door, who cross referenced it with the VIP guest list and let her pass. She wandered aimlessly through the narrow halls filled with electronic equipment, amps, cables, lights, and other performance-related things. I wonder what room they’re in.

She continued walking through the maze-like area, glancing right and left for any sign of her ex and his brother, until she rounded a corner and abruptly bumped into a firm, warm back.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I…”

The words dried up in her throat as the person she had run into turned around. It’s her.

It was the newest member of The Fire Ferrets. She had a white towel slung around her neck and a cold beer in her hand. Up close, Asami could see that she had intensely blue eyes and more muscles rippling under her light brown skin than were obvious from afar. Her cheeks were flushed, probably from a combination of post-performance glow and the beer she was drinking. She’s a bit shorter in person.

The girl waved her apology off, not noticing how Asami was standing there gaping like an idiot.

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” she said. “Are you lost? It can get pretty confusing back here.”

Then that cocky look Asami had seen at the beginning of the show came over her face. “Or were you looking for an autograph from the amazing Korra of The Fire Ferrets?” she said cheekily, hand on her hip.

Wow, talk about confident. Asami felt herself blush slightly. Korra. Definitely not a Republic City name. She collected herself and shook her head.

“Ah, no, actually I’m…”

“Asami!”

Mako cut her off, emerging from a door a few yards down the hall.

“I thought I heard your voice. I’m so happy you came!”

He walked over to her and gave her a quick hug. He smelled like beer, sweat, and adrenaline.

“Of course,” she said with a smile. “Seriously, you guys were great.”

Korra looked at Mako, then at Asami, then back to Mako. She had a befuddled look that Asami couldn’t help thinking was kind of cute. Korra pointed to the two of them simultaneously.

“Wait…Asami? As in, the Asami? The girl you were telling me about? The one who got aw…”

Suddenly Mako clamped a hand over Korra’s mouth, cutting off the end of her sentence and causing her to writhe about and shout muffled complaints into his palm. Asami stood there feeling both embarrassed and awkward. The Asami? I have a “the?”

With a yelp Mako pulled his hand away from Korra.

“Hey! You bit me!”

Korra stuck out her tongue at him and made a comically disgusted face, then took a big swig of her beer.

“Serves you right! Your gross hand tastes like expired seaweed noodles!”

“Did I hear someone say seaweed noodles?”

Bolin popped his head out of the same room Mako had come from.

“I’m starving! Oh, hey Asami!” He said with a beaming grin after seeing her standing there. “What’s everyone doing in the hallway?”

“I was just introducing Korra and Asami,” said Mako.

“Isn’t she great?” Bolin said dreamily while looking at Korra with some serious puppy dog eyes. Asami had a feeling he was referring to more than her musical talents. “With her as our front woman, The Fire Ferrets are gonna go straight to the top, baby!”

This statement might have felt a bit more powerful if Bolin hadn’t said it about every single lead singer to join the band. Usually Asami found Bolin’s constant optimism a little bit tiring, but in this instance he was actually right. With Korra at the helm, Asami could truly see The Fire Ferrets blowing up big time.

She smiled in spite of herself. She had forgotten how nice it was to hang out with Mako and his goofy brother, and Korra seemed to fit right into their family dynamic. Asami felt a bit sad that she had been so neglectful of her friends these past few months. That’s going to change, starting now.

Korra gave Bolin a thumbs up, and then extended her hand to Asami.

“Well anyway, it’s nice to officially meet you, Asami!” she said.

Asami gently took her hand to shake it. It was warm, calloused, and slightly moist. Her grip was strong, as to be expected of a guitar player.

“Likewise, Korra.”

Asami held Korra’s hand for a few seconds longer than strictly necessary for a friendly handshake, but Korra didn’t seem to mind. They let go at the same time and Bolin sidled up to them with an expectant expression on his face.

“Soooooo…about those seaweed noodles? My stomach is practically crying ‘feed me, Bolin! It’s so sad and empty in here.’”

Mako rolled his eyes at his brother, but then a loud grumble filled the air. Asami and Mako turned to look at Bo, but Korra was the one who spoke.

“Uh yeah, so that was me,” she said laughing. “I guess I’m pretty hungry too. What do you say guys, want to hit up Narook’s for a late dinner?”

Bolin’s face lit up. “Yes, please!”

Mako shrugged and said, “Fine with me,” in that infernal I’m-too-cool-to-care way that Asami had hated when they were dating. She knew it was all an act, anyway.

Korra turned to Asami. “What about you? Want to join us?”

Despite her joy at the invitation, Asami couldn’t deny how extremely exhausted she was. It wasn’t every day that she danced and jumped around for a good two hours, and her sore feet and legs were a testament to that. Plus, it was almost midnight. She was usually asleep by eleven, and she had a full day of rehearsal and meetings tomorrow.

“Thanks Korra, I’d really like to go, but I’m dead tired,” she said with a sigh. “I just saw a totally amazing rock concert, after all. Kind of wore me out,” she said, winking.

Did I just wink? Who are you and what have you done with Asami?

It might have been her imagination, but she thought she saw Korra’s cheeks get slightly redder. “Well, uh, next time then maybe,” she muttered.

Damn, she’s cute when she’s flustered.

Asami turned to Mako and Bolin. “Yes, next time absolutely.” She walked over and gave Bolin and Mako each a friendly hug in turn. “You guys rocked tonight. Thanks again for inviting me.”

Mako looked her in the eye and said, “Anytime.”

Bolin clapped a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, don’t be such a stranger, okay? We know you’re busy, but we’re your friends!”

Asami felt another pang of regret at how anti-social she had become lately. She gave Bolin a serious look. “I promise.”

With that, she started to head back down the labyrinthine backstage halls.

“See you around, Asami!” Korra yelled to Asami’s retreating back. Asami faltered a bit in her step. She turned back over her shoulder and gave the other girl a good-bye wave, then kept walking.

Once she knew she was out of earshot, Asami put her hand in her pocket and closed her hand around the pick.

“See you around, Korra.”