After meeting Xing's young friends, there was a fourth purely coincidental meeting with Xing again in the following day, and Asami was beginning to believe in the tales of spirits and fate. He'd just sent Ren and Kai off with boxes of dumplings, and it cheered Asami to see how excited they were as they ran off trying to balance the boxes between them. It was nice to see that they would be bringing their meal back to share with their grandfather, but Asami would also freely admit that she appreciated that it left her free to have a quick meal with Xing by themselves.

The lunch she shared with him was far simpler than the usual brunch affairs with potential investors or buyers. Asami agreed to Xing's insistence on keeping to a smaller budget this time, understanding that he didn't want to feel too obliged to her. Compared to some socialites who blatantly tried hanging onto her coattails, it was a nice change. They had a simple meal of rice and stallside roasted meats, but the comfortable silence as they just ate, with barely a sentence exchanged between the two of them, was refreshing.

There was no hint of him trying to butter her up with false humbleness, or to 'awkwardly' seek a favor. Asami made a comment about the fatty slices of meat, and Xing agreed to trade it for his leaner cuts. That was it. Xing didn't try to weasel his way into her graces, and Asami didn't force the issue about their social compatibility. They just smiled at each other and ate.

It was…nice. Almost idyllic, even.

And it set the tone for the rest of the day, with afternoon and evening slipping by in a pleasant haze. No minor emergencies to oversee, no sudden guests to host, not even father discreetly pestering her about the latest batch of prototypes. It was a rare, delightfully boring day indeed for Asami, and she decided to cap it off with a trip to the arena. She really didn't care who was playing, she just wanted to watch some pro-bending instead of listening to it over the radio.

To her surprise - and apparently everyone unless it was a really complex scheme - the Avatar was participating tonight, joining the Fire Ferrets.

About midway through the game, Asami spied Councilman Tenzin shuffling through the seats below her. Judging from his severely restrained expression, perhaps Korra's participation tonight was a surprise to more than just the current spectators.

Which begged the question…

Ah, there he was. Asami only needed to crane her neck to scan her surroundings a little to see a familiar figure flashing by the Fire Ferrets' entrance gate.

Asami found her enjoyment of the Avatar's debut to be dampened as she was forced to sit through the matches. Her performance was…mediocre at first, but Korra quickly wisened up and almost single-handedly won the Fire Ferrets the game.

Thrilling stuff, if not for other considerations.

Once the show was done, she quickly rose up and hurried down, hoping to catch up with Xing. The brief look she got of him worried Asami, and she doubted that he'd be as relaxed as the venerable Tenzin had suddenly become just now…

*****

The celebratory mood was immediately cut short the moment some guy in indigo robes stormed into the gym-

Wait, Mako had seen such a getup before. White Lotus. The Avatar's own organization or something. So this guy should be Korra's lackey, right?.

Though with how she immediately tensed up, maybe not. And why was he dripping wet, as if he'd taken a plunge into the sea?

"Xing," she tersely stated, likely naming the guy who leveled his narrowed glare at her.

"Korra." His voice was dangerously even, the tone Mako had heard from gang leaders before legs were broken and skulls cracked. "I was only gone for the day."

"So what?" the Avatar immediately replied, very defensively, which caused the Xing fellow to glare harder.

"'So what?' Korra, you vandalized an Air Nomad relic, you gravely insulted Master Tenzin, and you're abandoning your responsibilities as Avatar." Even with his voice utterly even, the accusation filled the room far more heavily than if they were shouted by a choir.

"I'm not abandoning anything!" Korra rebutted with a sharp huff. She glared back at him, but Mako found it to be several degrees less intimidating if he was honest. "I'm here because I needed a break from Tenzin's lessons."

Xing's eyebrow shot up, completely bemused. "Did you apologize? Does he know you're here?"

The silence that followed was enough of an answer for even Mako to wince at.

"Korra-"

Korra immediately cut in, taking a step towards the displeased White Lotus member. "Look, pointless meditation isn't for me, alright? Maybe I want to do more than just sitting around uselessly!"

Mako could practically hear Xing's teeth grinding as he next spoke. "You're the Avatar, not a prize fighter."

Korra took another step towards him. "You know, just because I'm the Avatar doesn't mean I'm forced to endure the stuffy old texts and useless meditation! I managed to use Tenzin's move back there, alright? Maybe this is what I have to learn: applying old moves to modern styles of fighting!"

And Mako began to glance to the exit just behind Xing. His brother however didn't fully understand the growing danger in the room, and, Bolin being Bolin, tried to intervene between the Avatar and her…servant? Lackey?

"Hey, now, let's settle down a bit, alright?" Bolin neatly placed himself between Korra and Xing, initially offering both glances before turning fully on the latter. "Look, uh, maybe you should just go back to relax a little, calm your thoughts, and you can carry on your…conversation with Korra later?" He went to place a calming hand on Xing, but Mako almost did a double take when the guy slipped so quickly past Bolin to continue staring at Korra, it looked like he just…reappeared there.

For his part, Bolin looked utterly confused, blinking and letting out a soft 'huh?' before realizing that Xing was behind him.

"Kindly stay out of a conversation you have little context about," warned the White Lotus man through clearly still-clenched jaws before his attention fully returned to Korra. "You will conclude things here immediately, then you will follow me to meet with Master Tenzin to apologize to him for your misconducts."

With how she was simmering, Mako genuinely didn't know if Korra was truly fearless or if she was just too pissed to care right now. "Or else what?" she sneered. "You can't make me, Xing. We've been through that; You're my minder, not my nanny. Or are you going to write another letter again? You know, if you're in such a twist with everything I do, why don't you just quit?"

"Please, can we all just ca-"

"Korra."

The tension in the room dipped just a little as all eyes turned to see the well-known Councilman Tenzin stepping into view. His face was stern, but not severe, which was a nice change.

Xing immediately stepped aside for Tenzin, bowing slightly. Korra's glare immediately lifted and the tension bled out of her pose.

"Uh, Tenzin. I-"

The air monk raised a hand, cutting off Korra. Surprisingly, his expression softened. "You were really good out there tonight. You moved just like an airbender."

"Wait, you watched?"

Tenzin gave a nod. "I did. Pro-bending turned out to be the perfect teaching tool for you."

A weak smile crept across Korra's face. "I…I'm sorry, for…everything today. I was really frustrated with myself and…I took it out on you."

The airbender councilor shook his head. "I think I owe you an apology too; I was trying to teach you about patience, but I lost mine."

They exchanged smiles, but the rather touching moment was ruined when Korra then turned to Xing. The tone she used was perhaps a bit too vindictive. "See? Everything's fine. I apologized, I'll get back to my lessons. And pro-bending's a good thing for me." She glanced at Tenzin, who gave an uncertain nod, before returning back to Xing. "Happy?"

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Xing blinked, and then it was his turn to glance at Tenzin for a second, before returning to Korra with an eerily blank stare. "That's… That it? After the damage, after the…"

Tenzin gave Xing a shallow bow. "I appreciate your concern, Xing, but Korra has acknowledged her mistakes, and I'm sure she will avoid repeating them."

"And what of the spiritual studies?" The tone Xing used suggested to Mako that he already knew the answer.

Tenzin didn't notice though, and simply nodded nonplussed. "I will, of course not forgo those topics, but seeing that at the moment she's made great strides in airbending, we will focus on that to take advantage of that breakthrough."

Xing blinked a few times before his shoulders slumped and he let out a weary sigh. "That's what they all said," he muttered.

"I have every confidence that Korra will do her best, in both mastering airbending styles and grasping the spiritual duties of the Avatar."

"Yeah," Korra chimed in with a bright smile. "I'll make sure to learn both."

"I heard that too…" came the resigned White Lotus' soft reply, before he began shaking his head slowly and muttering something.

"...ed up show-nen logic…"

Xing pinched the bridge of his nose as he gave another sigh, somehow heavier than the last, before looking up at Korra. "You're right, Korra."

"Huh?" That took her aback all right.

Xing removed his cowl and mantle in a swift and fluid motion. "I can't put up with this any more. I quit."

"Wha-?"

The look he gave both Korra and an equally surprised Tenzin was akin to a shopkeeper ready to face the consequences of forgoing protection payments. "I know where this leads. You will pay lip service to the lessons you're not proficient in, and then give up shortly after to focus on the matters you find far easier and more enjoyable. And I'll be powerless to convince you otherwise, because everyone else will bend over to indulge you. And then it's another discreet meeting with the masters again."

"That's not-"

Xing cut her off with a wave of his hand. "I've had enough of being responsible to uphold something I cannot enforce. The world may somehow bend to your whims, Avatar Korra, but I will not. I'm quitting the Order of the White Lotus, effective immediately." Xing let the cowl and mantle fall from his hands and turned for the entrance. Korra stared at him, eyes boggled, while Tenzin tried reaching for Xing.

"Wait, Xing-"

The former White Lotus paused only for a moment. "I have no personal belongings on me, or on Air Temple Island to worry about. Good evening, Master Tenzin, and good luck." As if that answered everything, Xing gave Tenzin a shallow bow, and then repeated the gesture to Mako and Bolin. "My apologies for my intrusion."

His gaze then turned to Korra, which lingered for only a second before Xing finally exited the gym. There wasn't any farewell, no nod or parting words.

Only when he fully exited from view did Korra blink, look around, and finally let out an annoyed huff. "Well, it was about time," she declared with half-convincing firmness.

*****

As expected, Asami found Xing backstage. Unexpectedly, she found him a little out of uniform, leaning against the corridor wall and rubbing at his temples with a sense of resignation, looking far from composed as he usually was. A small puddle of water formed underneath him as droplets fell out of his heavily drenched clothes.

She immediately began moving faster, but slowed down as she neared him. "Xing? Is everything okay?"

He looked at her, and that rigid restraint of his came out…or a badly cracked version of it anyway. Xing stood straight, but his shoulders were slumped a little, and the mask of indifference he tried to put on did not fully hide the embers of anger in his eyes.

"Mi- Asami. I'm sorry that you have to see me like this." His voice was shaky, almost cracking. His lips and eyes twitched as he struggled to appear composed.

Whatever happened after his meeting with Korra, Xing was left in bad shape.

"Hey, is there anything I can help with?" she offered gently, carefully closing the distance to place a comforting hand on his arm.

He stared at her for a second. There was a flash of something in his eyes, but it was quickly smothered before Xing let out a slow but shaky sigh. "I…I have just resigned from the White Lotus, and my duties to the Avatar," he said, and a weak smirk wormed its way onto his expression. "Do you perhaps know if it's safer to spend the night in the city's park or alleyways?"

Asami's eyes went wide, and her thoughts immediately raced to figure out what kind of breakdown could have occurred to result in such a shattered Xing. "Oh, Xing. I'm so sorry…"

"You were not involved in the…mess. I've just put myself in a worse position than before." His smirk flickered. "It's a good thing I don't have any prospective girlfriends to embarrass, eh?"

She almost shook him out of disbelief at the crude humor he tried to use. "What? No! Come on, Xing. I know a few inns you could stay for the night."

Why was he regarding her with confusion? "But my funds ar-"

"Then I'll pay," she immediately answered, giving him a comforting smile. "Come on. It's still not too late to get you some new clothes as well. No offense, but your White Lotus uniform doesn't do your looks any favors."

Xing's confusion lingered. "But…"

"But what?"

"I thought you'd be far more…disapproving."

Asami's face twisted up into a puzzled frown. "And why's that?"

"I've willingly left the Avatar's employ?" Xing answered as if it's the most obvious thing in the world, and Asami found herself breaking into a chuckle.

"I'm not after your status of being close to the Avatar, Xing," she retorted, and then turned his words from days ago back on him. "I'm already an heiress of some station, after all."

It was heartening to see him smile a bit at that.

"Besides, I don't know what the Avatar's like, since I haven't met her. But I know you. And you're a decent guy, I think."

"Some might beg to differ."

"The Avatar? Pfft. Her loss then." Asami gave Xing a speculative look as an idea she once idly entertained crawled out from the depths of her mind. "Say, Xing. How'd you like working for me?"

Xing stared at her for a second, blinking a couple of times before he answered. "I…I don't think I would be qualified…"

Of course he'd say that. Asami fought the urge to roll her eyes. "You'll be looking for a job anyway, right? I have an opening right now."

"But-"

"Hush. I've always been told to get an assistant, and what better candidate than someone who's been the Avatar's aide?"

"Those are different things…?"

"So what? Are you actually qualified to work in any jobs here in Republic City?"

Xing paused for a moment in thought before shaking his head reluctantly.

"But you're willing to learn, right?" At his nod, Asami grinned triumphantly. "Then it's settled."

Before he could reply further, and tiring of his self-deprecation, Asami leveled a firmer gaze on Xing. "Xing, stop being so hard on yourself and accept some help, damn it. I don't know what went on between you and the Avatar, but I know you're a good guy."

"I…" There was another pause before Xing's features softened with resigned gratitude, and a smile crept in. "Thank you, Asami."

She finally let go of him, nodding with utmost satisfaction. "We'll talk more about your new job later. For now, let's get you some new clothes, and then accommodation."

And maybe after that, some more intimate friendship.

Asami regarded the uplifted Xing and matched his smile with a reassuring one of her own, while unabashedly giving silent thanks to the Avatar for being insufferable (she had to be, because people like Xing did not just up and leave their posts like this) and giving her such an opportunity.