The Avatar's Will of Fire

The Calm

"Tenzin frowned heavily. "I don't like this."

Across from him, Lin only nodded, knowing full well what he was talking about and not really having anything to say.

Tenzin sighed again and began to pace the room, restless. He supposed from a certain point of view that Tarrlok's plan was sound, but it still felt like a betrayal of everything he believed. The fact that the rest of the council approved it unanimously only made it sting that much more.

How had his father's vision for a better world fallen so far? Republic City was meant to be a shining beacon of hope, freedom, and peace for the world, and now, they were willing to put innocent people in danger for a chance to draw the Equalists out?

"How could you just stand by and let them do this?" He asked, finally rounding on Lin. He knew that she had no control over these things, but he needed to vent his frustration somehow.

But he also knew that Lin wouldn't put up with it. "You know full well that I have no control of the decisions of your associates, Councilor." Despite the harsh words, there was no bite in Lin's tone; they were too close for any real anger between them.

Tenzin sighed again. "They plan to have this... reception, using the City Hall as some sort of statement of our city's resolve against the Equalists, hoping to draw them out?"

Lin shrugged again, though Tenzin knew her well enough to read the telltale signs of anger in her stance. "Like I said, nothing we can do about it."

Tenzin knew that Lin had no blame in this. Even though she was the head of the police force, that didn't mean she had any power over the council, and was still bound to obey their decisions. A distant part of his mind knew that even Tarrlok wasn't the one to blame- he was just following orders. Though Tenzin did have to wonder how Tarrlok of all people had managed to conceive such a plan. For a supposed career politician, the man had proven to be very adept when it came to fighting the Equalists.

Needing to turn his thoughts to a more positive topic, he decided to ask Lin about something that had been on his mind the entire night.

"So Lin..." he trailed off, considering his words. "About Naruto."

Lin's eyes narrowed. "What about him?" If he hadn't known the other woman for so long, Tenzin was sure he would have missed the almost-protective tone in her voice.

While some of his suspicions were confirmed right then and there, Tenzin pressed forward. "Why did you insist that he be part of this?"

Lin only shrugged. If there was anyone else around them, she probably would have denied it, but since they were alone, Lin felt that she could let her guard down. "His skills as a fighter are beyond question; I figured that, considering his more unique history, he might be able to catch something that we miss."

Tenzin waited; he knew there was more to it.

He was rewarded with Lin's smirk. "That, and it's fun to make him squirm."

And that confirmed the rest of his suspicions. Over the last week, Tenzin had noticed that Lin had become quite fond of the boy. He supposed that it was because of the three spars the two had had over the last week- Lin could gauge a person's character with surprising accuracy once she had fought them, and in Naruto's case, she must have seen something she liked.

000

Mako would never admit it to anyone—he was having enough trouble admitting it to himself—but he was nervous.

He knew there was no reason for it, it wasn't like this was his first date with Asami after all, but that didn't help his nerves one bit.

Really, what man wouldn't get at least a little nervous when a woman as gorgeous as Asami Sato had her arms wrapped around his shoulders? Not to mention that his own arms were around her waist.