"Fancy seeing you here." Asami smiled casually as she greeted Xing. The White Lotus member turned up to her from his bowl of rice with barely concealed surprise, before forming a polite smile.

"Miss Asami."

"Just Asami," she reminded him as she easily slipped in and joined him at the table. "Hope you don't mind?"

"Not at all, Asami," he easily replied. "My thanks for your aid the other day."

Asami almost rolled her eyes, nearly forgetting how he defaulted to being too polite. "Please, I'm the one in the wrong back then. It barely makes up for the accident."

"And yet, if not for you and your transport, I'd probably have to swim over to Air Temple Island."

She couldn't help scoffing at Xing's casual praise. "Well, if you put it that way…" He gave a nod with a more sincere, grateful smile, and then went back to eating. Interestingly, the silence that settled didn't feel too awkward. Still, she didn't want to let it linger for too long.

"So, I thought you'd have left Republic City by now?" Asami teased lightly, earning a deprecating grin from Xing after quietly gulping down his food.

"Unfortunately, circumstances have changed."

"The Avatar?"

Xing nodded, and it wasn't hard to miss the irritation in his gesture.

"You're her bodyguard or something?" Asami hazarded a guess, and the frown that flashed across his face was curious indeed.

"Or something," he echoed in his flat, diplomatic voice.

Asami rested her chin on one hand. "You know, most people would be gushing at such a posting," she couldn't help ribbing.

And as expected, Xing reverted back to his polite persona and nodded. "Of course, I am grateful for the chance to serve in such a prestigious capacity." The false smile he offered almost sold the act, however now that she knew what to look out for, Asami only saw how hollow the gratitude was.

"But…?"

Xing stared at her for a moment, and then let out a soft sigh. "But I would be lying if I said that my task is not taxing."

"You must be really busy," Asami ventured, easily pretending that the people in the tables around her weren't badly pretending to ignore a conversation that involved the Avatar. Xing likely was aware of it as well, judging from how stiffly his eyes remained on his bowl.

"Enough to occupy me. I'm just finished with an errand, after this I'll be headed back."

"Ah, that's a shame," Asami offered. "I was hoping you'd have some time for me to repay you for my earlier recklessness. No chance of a day off?"

Xing's reply came with a worn, apologetic smile. "I am flattered for your attention, truly. But it would be cruel of me to allow you to keep at this."

Asami blinked.

Xing placed his bowl and chopstick down before continuing. "I am grateful for your kindness, Asami, and your interest. But I am nobody of worth. I hold nothing to my name and my time is fully occupied by my…profession." He let out a heavy sigh. "If circumstances were different, I'd be more than happy to attempt to make something of this, but…"

"But?" she couldn't help whisper.

"But it'd be unfair to you, and the attention you'd be investing." His smile became tighter. "Besides, an heiress of your station shouldn't have to lower her standards."

Now it was Asami's turn to sigh. The self-deprecation was quickly losing its amusement. "You're giving yourself too little credit, Xing. You should see some of the people I have to deal with."

"Nevertheless, it would be unkind and unfair of me to-"

Asami cut him off with a chopping motion from one hand. "I get it," she muttered with annoyance, masking the surprising sting of rejection. She let out a sigh, and then gave a look at Xing's bowl of rice and couldn't help feeling some horror.

"That's all you're eating?"

The flat look he gave her in turn was almost comical. "My funds are still limited, and dinner back at the temple will make up for whatever this lacks."

Asami couldn't help smirk at how defensive he sounded. She whipped around to call for service, and then ordered in a couple of dishes and her own bowl of rice.

"You really shou-"

"I'm hungry too," she cut in with a bright grin. "Besides, it's better to enjoy lunch with friends, am I right?"

The triumph she felt at seeing his shy, resigned smile was almost sublime.

They enjoyed a comfortable silence as they ate. Beyond the insistence that Xing actually ate more than just white rice. Asami would put off further attempts for today. Seeing Xing relaxed like this was good enough an achievement for now. She could be patient, and contrary to how he presented himself, Asami had a feeling that he was very much worth looking into.

Maybe she could find a job to offer him if he disliked his current one so much?

*****

"I see you made yourself a friend," Korra teased with a wide grin as Xing finally left the eatery and parted ways with the pretty young lady.

"Aren't you supposed to be at the police station?" came the reply, completely glossing over the remark.

Korra shrugged, casually patting Naga who was panting happily beside her. "Already been there." She saw the look starting to form and rolled her eyes. "Relax, I apologized to Chief Lin properly, just like you asked me to. Tenzin's still back there, catching up with her. Told us to go on ahead."

He had an air bison with him anyway, so it wasn't like he'd have any problems with ferries.

Xing heaved with a soft sigh, and began walking. Korra followed along, her grin returning. "So…you didn't answer my question…"

"You made an observation, not asked a question," the dour wet towel replied.

If anything, it only enhanced Korra's amusement. And hope.

"You know, you could come over to Republic City more often. Take a break to meet her? I'll be more than happy to leave you to your free time…"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Xing paused mid-stride and gave an unamused glare. "And I can trust you to actually stay on the island and keep to your airbending training?" Before Korra could nod, the boy had to bring up that incident again. "I won't have to hurry over to put out a fire in the docks?"

"Oh come on, Xing! That was just the one time!" She didn't expect whale blubber to be that flammable…or that the whole block was coated in the stuff.

"It is still the reason why I cannot just leave you be. That, and the time when you commandeered a boat."

Korra bit back a reply, knowing that it was pointless to try reasoning with Xing over things like this. The guy really likes to bring up old issues as if it was relevant in the present. She'd learned her lesson already, she's growing as a person!

"Anyway, we should be heading back to Air Temple Island."

Of course. Korra sighed. "Xing, you really don't have a sense of adventure, do you? We're in Republic City! There's lots of sights to see, people to befriend…"

"Trouble to pull you out of."

Urgh. Spoilsport.

"You're here to master airbending, not go sightseeing. If Master Tenzin is occupied, you can pick up pointers from Jinora."

As Korra tried not to roll her eyes, Xing fixed her with an exasperated look.

"Look, Korra. The faster you learn airbending, the faster you get to go out into the world as a fully fledged Avatar, and you can then enjoy Republic City as much as you want."

That was true… "But all that meditation," she groaned.

"Meditation serves a point to focus yourself," Xing lectured as he began walking, easily balancing the paper bags filled with groceries in his arms. Damnit, she got him going again.

Korra let out a silent groan, not wanting to get stuck in another lecture throughout the journey back home. They passed several stalls, and at least this time they had the money for her to buy a few sticks of grilled meat and candy. Xing didn't even lecture her about the dangers of wasting money, which was a consolation at least.

It was only as the ferry landed back on Air Temple Island that Korra realized that Xing had still evaded her earlier ques- observation.

Well, too bad for him. Now it meant there were other people to pester him about it. She made sure to ask again right as he entered the kitchen with Pema present.

"So…you still never told me about that pretty lady you met, Xing."

As expected, Pema perked up and smiled at Xing. "Oh, you've made a friend Xing? That's nice."

Ignoring the glare he gave her, Korra prodded on. "Yeah, but he's being stingy about it and not sharing the details."

The boy gave a drawn out sigh before replying. "She is an acquaintance, one that I met while trying to catch the ferry when you forgot about me on our first day here, Korra."

Oh. Korra cringed at the reminder of her…oversight, and had the decency to shrink back with guilt and embarrassment.

"If not for her assistance, I would have to swim my way across."

"She sounds like a good person," Pema remarked approvingly.

Pushing aside her shame, Korra nodded. "Yeah. And it's rare to see Xing make friends, so I was thinking that I get him some free time so he can try catching up with his…acquaintance."

"That's a wonderful and thoughtful idea, Korra. I'll be sure to talk to Tenzin, to see if we can come up with something."

The beaming smile from Pema not only increased the chances of this working, but it also vindicated Korra's decision in the first place. She was being considerate, and that it came along with being free of Xing's overly perceptive attention was just a convenient bonus.

Not that Xing appreciated it. "Really, it is a non-issue. I have my duties…"

The pregnant woman frowned with genuine concern, knocking Xing off his defensive stance. "You shouldn't be working all the time, Xing. A young man like you should enjoy life a little. Korra's safe here, I'm sure Tenzin will be more than happy to arrange something for you."

"But-"

"What's going on?" came the eagerly curious voice of Ikki, and Korra grinned ferally as the girl and her sister stepped into the kitchen.

The Avatar put on a disinterested voice as she quickly answered. "Oh, nothing. We're just figuring out how to give Xing some free time so that he can meet up with his new lady friend."

The glare she received from him was worth it, as the youngest of the sisters focused on Xing with glee.

"Ooh, Xing's got a girlfriend? That sooo cute!" Ikki began skipping towards him, her smile bright and devious. "Who is she? Is she pretty? Is she a firebender or an earthbender? Did you save her from robbers with your White Lotus training? Did you-"

"Ikki dear, that's enough," Pema gently interrupted, putting an end to the barrage of questions. "Leave Xing to make his friends as he wishes. I'm sure he's a good judge of character."

"Thank you," the boy groaned and then made to leave the kitchen, but paused as Jinora took up half of the exit. She gave him a wry grin, and seemed about to say something, but then settled for grinning wider before stepping aside. Xing for his part just nodded gratefully before leaving.

With him out of the room, the number of interesting topics for the day dwindled. Or it would have, if not for how easy it was to stoke the curiosity of the girls. Korra gave it a minute before she beckoned at Jinora and Ikki. "Well, now that he's gone, do you want to know what Xing's girlfriend looks like?"

Their interest should translate into support to get Xing out of the island to make more meetings with his new 'acquaintance'. If not, at the very least Ikki seems excited enough that she could just pester him into submission.