[Korra can't keep herself away from the kitchen, though she tries. She coos over pictures of the children Opal and Bolin have been caring for in their orphanage; she catches up with Mako on the latest Earth Republic news from Wu; she moderates a passionate debate between Tenzin and Jinora over the young woman's reformist philosophies. But a part of her is in that kitchen, pulling her towards it.
She arrives just in time to hear You can stay over with me, and her heart freezes. Without even realizing it, she's halfway into the kitchen and pulling Mai into her arms.] Don't.
[Fortunately, Pema is nearby, and Korra hands the wriggling toddler off to her. She doesn't want Mai to hear this conversation.]
Don't you ever say something like that to her without talking to me first. Do you understand? I am not going to be the bad guy because you get her hopes up and I have to say no.
[Mai's too young to understand what Hei told her, which is the only thing keeping Korra reasonably civil about this. She knows it's inevitable; by virtue of the fact that Hei isn't around all the time, he's already the "fun" parent, while Korra's the one left to handle discipline and the unpleasant parts of parenting. But she refuses to let him think he can manipulate their daughter to get what he wants. She is nipping that in the bud right here, right now.]
no subject
She arrives just in time to hear You can stay over with me, and her heart freezes. Without even realizing it, she's halfway into the kitchen and pulling Mai into her arms.] Don't.
[Fortunately, Pema is nearby, and Korra hands the wriggling toddler off to her. She doesn't want Mai to hear this conversation.]
Don't you ever say something like that to her without talking to me first. Do you understand? I am not going to be the bad guy because you get her hopes up and I have to say no.
[Mai's too young to understand what Hei told her, which is the only thing keeping Korra reasonably civil about this. She knows it's inevitable; by virtue of the fact that Hei isn't around all the time, he's already the "fun" parent, while Korra's the one left to handle discipline and the unpleasant parts of parenting. But she refuses to let him think he can manipulate their daughter to get what he wants. She is nipping that in the bud right here, right now.]