You have nothing left to squander

[mortemscintilla]

WHO: Korra and Hei.
WHAT: An attempt at Good Fun Couple Times.

[ He's infiltrated the Equalists' gang. Gotten close enough to seep between the gaps, to merge with the leader's inner circle. He's memorized their faces, their patterns, their backgrounds -- and accordingly sketched an outline of their weaknesses. Most importantly, he's learnt their leader's daily routine. After watching him for some time, Hei has discovered that he likes working out at an exclusive dojo downtown. Frequently, he varies the times of his workouts, sometimes arriving at the place early in the morning, sometimes at night. Probably he assumes the resulting unpredictability will make him hard to get to. ]

[ He is half right. Unpredictability is the key to being a hard target, but the concept applies to both time and place. Half measures like this guy’s will protect him from some of the people some of the time. But they won't save him for long from someone like Hei. People, even smart ones, can take strong security measures in some respects, while leaving themselves vulnerable in others. Like double-locking the front door and leaving the windows wide open. ]

[ One more week. That will be enough for Hei to crack the layout of the dojo -- inside, outside. The hit has to look like natural causes, like they always do, so he plans to carry it out here, in a venue where it is far from unthinkable that someone might keel over from a fatal aneurism induced by exertion, or suffer an unlucky fall onto a steel bar, or undergo some other tragic mishap while using one of the complicated exercise machines. ]

[ All told, it's a relatively simple job. The details whirr through Hei's mind, on calm standby -- while the rest of him stays focused on Korra. It is well into her second trimester -- and by that time, he can honestly say none of his worries have receded. Nothing seems to have changed at all, really, except the phases of the moon, and her body. She's gotten round -- alarmingly so, in his opinion -- and has begun to suffer aches and irritabilities and other symptoms of distress. Although she peevishly keeps assuring him that those things are quite natural, they worry him and keep him hovering about her and trying to resolve the perceived issue like it's a rusty blade or a faulty machine, all of which makes her more peevish still. ]

[ Today, though, he'd found a note from her before leaving for work. (Not at the factory; he'd quit months ago, for a more invigorating position with Future Industries, handling some of their mecha-weaponry.) On the late-evening streets, Hei takes out the folded piece of memo paper with its girlishly-scrawled characters. It says: ]

Meeting with the President. Will be back by seven. Be in bed.

[ Hei won't deny his confusion. Or the way his eyes keep bobbling back and forth between president and bed. It is her writing, though he can't imagine pregnant-Korra scribbling those words with him in her mind. Not unless she is under some kind of seriously heavy drug. Their sex life has been sporadic these few months. Korra seems to have learned not to question any willingness for sex that he might show her. ]

[ Except it's clear she's far from resigned to the dry spell. ]

[ Exhaling, Hei drifts home at a measured pace. Between the Equalists, the impending baby, the new job and ever-cropping domestic dramas, his brain crackles like dead television static. But that's no excuse for neglecting Korra the way he knows he's been doing. They both need a good leg-over. It has been...well, a hell of a long time now since the last time. Usually it's just a vague concern; he's always had a low-level libido, which spikes into a cumulative rut-fest only if he finds someone who clicks well with him. But with the recent events, there hasn't been much time for ... clicking. Of any sort. ]

[ Maybe it's time to remedy that. Korra's note is like both a rebuke, and a plea, and a motivational promise. Once the baby arrives, they'll probably have no time for anything -- let alone sleep. Better to indulge in their free time, instead of squandering it. ]

Comments

[anatural]

[That note? 100% Asami. Well, 90% Asami. Korra will admit that she's been bitching pretty relentlessly to her friend about the lack of sex in her & Hei's relationship since getting pregnant. She's been bitching so much that Asami won't even sleep with her anymore to take the edge off. You need to work this out between the two of you.

After more complaining, Asami dragged her lingerie shopping and, when Korra insisted that she couldn't cancel the meeting with the president, got her to write that note.

Korra hesitates at the doorway to the house. It's ridiculous how nervous she feels. She knows he loves her. She knows this is just a phase and it will pass, but her heart just doesn't seem to get the message. His lack of interest in her makes her feel grotesque, even though she knows it's stupid. The idea of wearing that outfit Asami talked her into buying, going to their bedroom, and him not being interested... She doesn't want to deal with that.

You need to work this out between the two of you, she reminds herself. Clutching the bag in one hand, she opens the door.]

Hei? Are you home?