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The Need to Control	By : SapphoSynergy Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > Legend of Korra, The Views: 4153 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: Legend of Korra and I do not make any money off of this work.

Chapter List
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Korra gazed out of the window of the airship. Mountains had appeared over the horizon, followed by the lush green landscape around Zaofu. The city itself started to appear through the clouds as the airship lowered. The glistening domes had been assembled again, stronger than ever, and now they were open like metal flowers.
She looked around at the other passengers, mostly Zaofu citizens coming home, based on their outfits. They looked at her once in a while, clearly trying not to stare at the Avatar. Korra didn’t strike up conversation with anyone. She wasn’t sure how secret her mentorship was supposed to be.
What am I doing? she asked herself, This is going to be a disaster. Not too long ago, I was a wreck. How am I supposed to help her when I’m not exactly sure what fixed me?
Tenzin was in on her mission, and he had given her some advice. But ultimately he let her know it was her choice how to approach Kuvira’s problem. They didn’t precisely know what Kuvira needed.
The airship docked at the station in the central circle. Korra got up and disembarked with the other passengers, branching off to catch her tram to the circle where Kuvira was held on house arrest. As she traveled down the track, she took a deep breath to prepare her for seeing the former dictator once again.

Korra walked up to the door where two guards stood watch. They both nodded to her.
“Greetings, Avatar,” one said.
“I’m here to counsel Kuvira, as she requested,” Korra said.
They nodded again as they opened the door. It didn’t seem like there was an extreme amount of security, but with Zaofu’s domes closed at night, and with Kuvira’s willingness to take responsibility for her actions, Korra knew that there was little chance of the former Great Uniter escaping.
“Would you like one of us to accompany you inside?” the other guard asked.
“No, thank you,” Korra said, holding up her hand, “I think Kuvira will talk to me more easily if we’re alone.”
“Very well,” he replied.
As Korra walked in, the door was shut behind her. The home was modest, yet it had the Beifong flair of many Zaofu houses. Kuvira could be doing far worse for herself. Korra heard footsteps from the hall, and seconds later she was face to face with Kuvira.
“Hello, Avatar Korra.”
Kuvira was wearing the same type of formal vest she’d worn when she met with Commander Guan, including the electric belt Asami had fashioned. Korra wondered whether Kuvira was forced to wear that belt every day. Her thick black hair was in a low bun, with only a few stray hairs managing to escape at her hairline. All in all, she looked dressed-up, not at all the pathetic mess Korra had assumed she would find her in. Had Kuvira dressed up for her?
“Hello again, Kuvira,” Korra replied, “It seems like this time you need something from me.”
“Yes, I need your advice,” Kuvira said, her deep voice even and calm, “Please, sit.”
She motioned to a wooden chair by the small dining table. Korra sat down, and Kuvira lowered herself into the chair across from her.
“So, what’s up?” Korra asked.
“Suyin has made my incarceration very hospitable,” Kuvira said, “I’m allowed to come and go during the day as I please, as long as I don’t leave the city and as long as someone’s watching me. I’ve been seeing an acupuncturist, and… that has been helping with my muscle pain. Overall, I would say I’m doing alright.”
“Kuvira, I wouldn’t be here if you were alright,” Korra replied, “What’s really going on?”
Kuvira stood up and walked a few steps away, not looking at Korra directly. She held her wrists behind her back, an old habit from when she was the Great Uniter.
“Korra, there are some things that are difficult to talk about,” she said calmly, “I don’t know how to explain to you what I’m going through any more than you could explain your struggles to me.”
“Well, I can’t help you if you don’t explain what’s going on,” Korra replied rashly.
Korra had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that something wasn’t right. Through everything Kuvira had said so far, she’d had a sense of poise, an air of extreme control. Korra wondered whether she was being tricked. Maybe there was a different reason she’d been called down here. If so, she needed to get to the bottom of it. Or perhaps Kuvira simply was having difficulties lowering her guard. Korra knew that Kuvira had an intense need to feel safe and in control. Korra knew from experience that opening up to someone was a very vulnerable experience.
“I mean, I guess I’m just confused,” Korra admitted, “I’ve never been a mentor before, so you’ll have to go easy on me.”
“I see,” Kuvira said, placing her hand on her chin while she thought.
“Maybe…” Korra mused, “Maybe I could come with you while you go to the acupuncturist. That way I’ll know what the problem is.”
Kuvira’s features faltered for a moment, but she straightened them out.
“Yes,” she replied, “But my next appointment is tomorrow afternoon. Will you be here that long?”
“I planned to stay a few days,” Korra said, “So I’ll be able to come.”
She couldn’t tell whether Kuvira looked disappointed or relieved. Kuvira’s features were far too controlled.

“It’s like she doesn’t want to talk to me,” Korra vented over the phone to Tenzin that evening, “I’m like, youcalled me here, and I don’t know what’s going on, so fill me in, please!”
“You said that to her?” Tenzin asked in disbelief.
Korra rolled over on her small guest bed at the Beifong house. Suyin had insisted on putting her up for the night. Korra really wanted to call Asami, but she was busy this evening, and most likely wouldn’t want to hear about Kuvira anyway.
“No,” Korra admitted, “But I wanted to.”
“Give it some time,” Tenzin said, “She might not trust you yet.”
“She doesn’t trust me? I hardly trust her, even after she saved Asami,” Korra said, “I don’t know how this is supposed to work.”
“Korra, when you came to Air Temple Island to train with me, you hardly wanted to open up to me, even though I was your mentor,” Tenzin recalled, “You often gave me a piece of your mind, certainly, but it was only after time that you felt comfortable enough to share anything that made you feel vulnerable. I’ll tell you what I told myself back then. All you can do is be there for her in whatever way she needs you. That may not be much at first.”
“Thanks, Tenzin,” Korra said, “I’ll try not to give up so fast.”

When Korra showed up at the acupuncturist’s office the next day, Kuvira was already lying on the table. She was wearing only loose pants and a light green tank top, baring her thin but muscular arms as she rarely did. She looked over at Korra as she came in, and Korra swore she could see fear pinch Kuvira’s face for a moment.
“Welcome,” Guo, the acupuncturist, said to Korra, “Kuvira has needed an unusual number of sessions, but I try to keep them brief to lessen the strain on her psyche.”
“What exactly has been happening?” Korra asked, crossing her arms.
Guo started to explain, but Kuvira interrupted him.
“Just stick the needles in me. The faster this is over with, the better.”
“That is no way to approach acupuncture,” he chided.
Kuvira growled but said nothing. Korra watched as Guo metalbent several tiny needles into the air and hovered them over Kuvira’s body. Kuvira closed her eyes, and her skin glistened with sweat. An incredibly inappropriate thought entered Korra’s mind as she gazed down at Kuvira, but she dismissed it. There was no way she was going to fantasize about the woman who had tried to kill her multiple times. She could admit that Kuvira was attractive, with her strong eyebrows, lusty green eyes, and small beauty mark on her right cheek, but there was nothing more to it than that. A former dictator just happened to have an attractive face.
Korra’s thoughts were pulled away from that topic when the needles pierced Kuvira’s skin. Kuvira started breathing more heavily, and a scowl crossed her mouth. Her eyebrows furrowed deeply.
“She is resisting the balancing of her chi,” Guo said quietly as he metalbent more needles toward Kuvira, “Relax and let your body melt into the table.”
After a few moments, Kuvira spoke up.
“I can’t do this, not in front of Korra,” she said tersely.
“Please, let me finish the session,” Guo said calmly, “If you leave before it is done, your chi will be severely blocked.”
Kuvira sighed.
“Alright,” she growled.
“I can leave if you need me to,” Korra said, smiling awkwardly, “I don’t have to be here.”
At that moment, a needle entered Kuvira’s forehead, and the muscles in Kuvira’s arms relaxed immediately. She was so still that if Korra didn’t know better, she would have thought the woman was asleep. After a minute or two, Guo began to remove the needles.
“She’s still resisting me, but there’s not much I can do about it,” Guo explained, “I think she has some memories that interfere with our sessions.”
He continued removing needles as Korra watched.
“Has she been getting better, though?” Korra asked.
Guo nodded slowly.
“There,” he said as he removed the last one.
Kuvira sat upright and grabbed her face with her hands. Korra couldn’t see Kuvira’s eyes, but she thought the former dictator might be crying. Kuvira’s entire body shook with emotion. Korra reached out hesitantly to comfort her.
“Don’t touch me,” Kuvira snapped.
She looked up, and Korra could clearly see the tears that marred her cheeks.
“Let me take you home,” Korra offered, “You can tell me what happened when we get there.”
Korra waited a few moments as Kuvira buried her face in her hands again.
“Fine,” Kuvira said.
Her voice was husky with sorrow. After a minute or two, she got up off the table and paid Guo before leaving with Korra.

“I never meant for you to see me like that,” Kuvira said.
They had reached Kuvira’s home, and she had regained her composure for the most part. Her eyes were still slightly red around the edges.
“Then what did you mean for me to see?” Korra asked, “Isn’t that what normally happens?”
“There’s no need to be snarky with me. I was hoping things would be better this time.”
Kuvira sat on the couch, her elbow resting on the armrest beside her. She looked away again. It seemed like she wanted to say more, but Korra didn’t press her. She remembered Tenzin’s advice and decided to wait until Kuvira was ready to open up.
“You know, when I was poisoned and trying to get better at the South Pole, I tried so many things. Some things worked better than others. Katara healed me, but it didn’t fix me all the way, and it took a couple years for me to even be able to walk again. And some things people suggested didn’t work at all. I wouldn’t feel too bad if acupuncture isn’t for you.”
Kuvira looked down at her hands. She looked like she wanted to cry again, but no tears came to her eyes.
“Maybe it’s not for me,” she said, “But I don’t have many options.”
“Tell me what you need,” Korra offered, “I’m not the best healer but I could always try waterbending if it’s something physical.”
“I don’t need healing,” she said.
She rose up from the couch to Korra’s full height. Korra was sitting down across from her, so Kuvira towered over her as she came closer. Kuvira looked to the side surreptitiously before staring Korra directly in the eyes.
“I want you.”
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The Need to Control