dance dance, we're falling apart to half time

[anatural]

When; Friday, January 18th, evening
Rating; PG
Characters; Korra and her friends and anyone who happens to be in the club. Come one, come all!
Summary; Korra decides to celebrate 6 months in the City by dancing.
Log;She'd been woken up that morning by a incessant beeping noise; it took her a full three minutes to figure out it was her device and how to turn it off (she almost breaks it in her frustration, but she doubts she'd get any sympathy from Chekov if she broke yet another piece of electronic equipment).

What was so important that her device felt compelled to disturb her slumber?

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SIX MONTH ANNIVERSARY!

Who sent it? How did they know? Korra doesn't bother wondering. Six months… At first the thought horrifies her…but it hasn't been all bad. She fingers the necklace that Chekov had given her.

She can either spend the day distracted and wallowing, or she can remind herself of the good things she has here.

She decides to go dancing.


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It's clear no one ever taught her how to get dressed for clubbing; she's just wearing her "I Mustache You A Question" t-shirt and Chekov's necklace, a strange combination of casual and fancy. Somehow she makes it work. And it's a bit early in the night for the club to really be rocking, but that doesn't slow Korra down any. She's in the middle of the dance floor, being taught some new moves by the club's regulars and just in general having a grand old time.

Come join her?

Comments

[spiderkid]

Miles isn't even sure thirteen year olds are allowed to go clubbing. He knows his mom probably wouldn't let him. But then again, he thinks his mom would probably like Korra.

Great, now he just misses his mom. Stop thinking about that, Miles, and get your booty on the floor.

[justamessenger]

[Dulcie manages to slink up next to Korra at the bar. She has very good timing.]

Nice t-shirt.

[anatural]

Yeah, Korra hadn't thought about that before picking this spot, but she managed to work something out with the manager so that Jinora and Miles could hang out. Just until 9 PM.

Korra catches sight of him from the middle of the dance floor and jumps up. "Hey Miles!" She jogs over, beaming. "Glad you could make it!"

[spiderkid]

"Hey." He smiles sheepishly back at her. "You know, even though it's how we met, I don't really dance that much."

He feels entirely out of place, but he hasn't been getting out much-- not even to patrol-- since Mindy left, what with the blizzard and not wanting to leave Mocha alone for too long, so he decided to give it a try. He'll appreciate the effort Korra went through so he could be here.

[anatural]

[Korra nearly spits out her water. Man she's sneaky!]

Hey Dulcie! Glad you could make it.

[She tugs at her shirt and grins.] Thanks.

[mortemscintilla]

[ There's very little Hei does on impulse. When he swings by the club, it's late at night. Perfect rush-hour to stay unnoticed -- to satisfy his curiosity at being invited. He's not Korra's friend. Certainly not someone she should allow into her inner-circle of kiddies. Part of him hopes she's not doing that Be-Nice-To-Him-To-Brighten-His-Fweewings thing some girls do. It'd be tragic if it were true. But that kind of misplaced thinking is instinctive. It's drilled into their sugary-spicy heads, so they do it by nature. ]

[ He's posing as 'Li' -- grungedout and gawky. But he blends in. He's a chameleon that way, always able to fit in, taught to go unnoticed by the best grifters. At the bar, which is up a platform of stairs, he purchases an overpriced bottle of water, and surveys the crowd. Spots Korra -- damn, where did she learn to dance like that? Amazing that she can, when she seemed to have so much on her conscience last time he saw her. ]

[ But that's not his business. He's just here to play Fly On The Wall. Enjoy the show. ]

[anatural]

"You should do it more," Korra tells him. "You're really good. Like Jagger!" That was a line from one of the songs she'd been dancing to earlier. I've got the moves like Jagger. I've got the moves like Jagger. I've got the mooooooooooooves like Jagger. She has no idea who Jagger is, but she's pretty sure it's a compliment.

[riceballfruit]

Korra's probably better dressed for the club than Tohru, at least. She's in her plain, but clean and colorful clothes; a skirt and a turtleneck sweater. She's not deterred by the difference between her clothes and the usual outfit of others in the club, as Tohru, likely, hasn't noticed.

To her, they're just people here to have fun, and it's her first time in a dance club. It took her a while just to look around and get a feel for the loud music and lights ('But it's so dark in here!'). Once she did, though, she started to dance away, trying some of the moves she had learned from the dancing curse. A little hip swaying, what little bits should could recall Jinora teaching her. It's all fun to her.

[anatural]

[Korra doesn't do pity invites. If someone is obviously lonely, yeah, she might invite them to tag along. But she wouldn't seek out Hei's company just to make him feel better. She's nice to people when she likes them. She's rude to people when she doesn't. It's that simple.

As for where she learned to dance like that... when you're a pretty girl in a club, you're not likely to want for teachers. Her conscience is still heavy, but that only bothers her when she's still.

She spins, and her eyes pass over the crowd. She sees Li, but doesn't register him -- he's a master at blending in, and she wasn't expecting him to show up. She just keeps dancing.

Enjoy.]

[anatural]

Korra spins from the center of the dance floor to where Tohru is. "Tohru!"

She reaches out and grabs the other girl's hand. You don't get to dance alone, miss!

[riceballfruit]

Tohru takes Korra's hand, and attempts to twirl her.

"Korra! This place is so much fun! I've never been to a place like this before," Tohru tells her, with all of her enthusiasm. "Thank you for inviting me along."

[anatural]

Sorry, Tohru, you're not quite tall enough to twirl her properly. But Korra spins along, laughing.

"Of course!" This time she spins Tohru, the other girl's skirt twirling in the air. "It wouldn't be a party without you."

[riceballfruit]

She had still wanted to try it. Twirls and spinning are still her favorite moves. And, of course, she takes the chance when Korra twirls her.

"I didn't know I was necessary for a party," Tohru admitted. She had never seemed like the party sort. "But I'm really glad you wanted me along." Because Korra didn't have to want that, but she did, apparently.

[mortemscintilla]

[ Simple. That's the last word Hei has ever applied to his life, or those in it. Everyone lies. Everyone has agendas and hidden motives. At this stage, he's not even sure he's capable of doing anything completely free from the intent to deceive. But Korra isn't like that. Most of what she does is because she wants to do it. Right then, and in that second. She's free in a way most people aspire to be, but can't, because they're fenced in by thousands of scruples and What Ifs. ]

[ (Free in a way Contractors like to pretend they are. But he knows better.) ]

[ The relentless beat is giving him a headache. The crowd isn't his style -- girls too young and tarted-up, boys too iced in bling, all swagger and strut. The music isn't by any band he's heard of, and that makes him feel old. Old and tired. Still, he stays. Sips his water. Watches Korra dance. There's a joy and innocence to her as alluring as the studied cool of the other girls. ]

[ (For a moment, sharp spikes of lust absent, he can pretend Pai would've had outings like this. Dressing up. Laughing with friends. Having fun. Doing everything she -- and he -- never had a chance to do.) ]

[anatural]

"Well, a good party," Korra says. "I guess it's a party any time you have a bunch of people and music, but it's not a good party unless your friends are there."

And you're a friend, Tohru.

[anatural]

[The song winds down, and Korra decides it's time for a break. Breathless and buzzed, she heads over to the bar.]

I'd like a water, please.

[The bartender rolls his eyes.]

You ever gonna order anything else?

....why?

[He leans on the bar and looks at her.]

Because this is a business. If you're gonna hang out here, you're gonna have to buy something.

Oh. Uh. Okay. What's good?

[The man grins and passes her a water.]

Something good, coming right up.

[He's not going to make her anything particularly strong. He's just gonna make sure it's expensive.]

[mortemscintilla]

[ Hei watches Korra breeze past him like he's invisible. Well -- he is. Just as she draws strangers' gazes, a perky cynosure, 'Li' melts into the background, dull and relentlessly average. Watching the bartender scam her into a pricey drink, he can't help a headshake and rueful almost-smile. Unfolding himself to his feet, he drifts closer through the surging bodies. Steps behind her, soundless, like he's risen out of the floor. ]

[ Leaning in, he murmurs into her ear, ] I hope you'll lay off the alcohol. It's bad for your legs. [ They don't swell; they spread. ]

[spiderkid]

"Jagger's an old white guy. And I'm pretty sure I only danced so well 'cause I was cursed." He looks around, as though scared he's going to be kicked out any minute. "Why did you want to go dancing anyway?"

[riceballfruit]

"Friends...." She couldn't help it. Even if they considered themselves a little family, Tohru still blushed happily at Korra's words, before giving Korra's hand a light squeeze.

"Yes. You're right. I wouldn't want a party without my friends, either. I'm very grateful I met you and Jinora!"

[anatural]

Gack!

[She jumps at the voice in her ear. How does he do that?! She turns around to face him.]

What are you doing here? [Don't think she missed that jibe about her legs. Let's be honest -- the alcohol had just gotten her reckless enough to poke him. The rest of that night -- and the other two nights -- was the result of her sober (if not necessarily good) judgement.

Immediately after asking her question, she shakes her head. Idiot.]

I mean, you made it. [twitchy smile, exasperated and amused and glad to see him] I didn't think you'd come.

[mortemscintilla]

[ Whoa, jumpy. Keeping his expression mild, he edges closer as two clubbers sway drunkenly past him, arm-in-arm, drinks sloshing like they're on the AA's Yellow Brick Road. Crowds always make him feel like a werewolf at a full moon; hyperaware and on edge. Memory serves up scoops of so many kills he's made in clubs like these. A brush-pass. A slit of a dagger. A silenced gun. Each victim lurching and crumpling like a drunk, unnoticed in the darkness and strobing lights. ]

[ At her question, his mouth takes on a small quirk. Oh, Korra. You and words sometimes. ] You invited me. [ The reason for which he still isn't sure. But honesty is the best policy (unless it suits him otherwise). He adds, with a tilt of his head, ] Why?

[anatural]

[That's what happens when a guy materializes behind you and talks into your ear. She settles onto a stool to give him more room.

Why? Is he really going to make her say it out loud? It's obvious. It shouldn't need saying. (It's embarrassing to say.)]

Because I wanted you to come.

[What other reason would she have? She likes being around him (usually. sometimes. it's complicated). He's become a significant person in her life here. And that's what this night is about -- the important people in her life here.]

I didn't think you actually would, though.

[anatural]

Korra shrugs. She doesn't feel like getting into the fact that she's been here for six months and she doesn't know what to do or how to feel. It's just not something she talks about.

"Why not?" is the answer she gives instead. "Dancing's fun. Have you even tried it since the curse?"

[spiderkid]

Miles shakes his head. "No, I've been kind of busy. With the zombies and everything." Even after the deity announcement, he'd stayed on patrol just in case. "I guess I could give it a try."

He tries some popping and locking moves like the ones he used on the curse day, but they don't turn out quite as good.

[anatural]

"Yeah, the curse definitely helped." Her tone is amused, but there's nothing mocking in her grin. She tries imitating a few of his moves.

If it's any consolation, Miles, she's no better. But she's having a good time and hopes you are too.