Unafraid (Avatar: TLoK Mako/Asami Fan Fic)
He naturally assumed she was a Bender. She recognized him as a pro-Firebender but didn’t run away in fright or turn her back on him with a scowl of disdain. Just his golden eyes alone were often enough to make food vendors refuse to sell to him, merchants refuse to trade with him, women hurry their children over to the other side of the street when he passed. He couldn’t tell what type she was at first glance; she had the green eyes of an Earthbender but the hair black as ebony and skin white as snow common in descendants of the Fire Nation. He wasn’t surprised not to see her Bend in front of him; everyone knew that gratuitous Bending in public was just an invitation for starting a panic or being angrily ordered to move along. He figured it would come up tomorrow.
She probably assumed his shock was from learning her father was the Hiroshi Sato, but that was only half of it. He may not have known much about the Satos, but he knew they weren’t Benders; half of the public’s marvel at the inventor’s success came from that. To have a non-Bender willingly associate with him, treat him with respect and kindness, was even more stunning than the impact of her moped.
Reason and Experience wouldn’t allow to him to believe it would last, of course. Once she felt she paid her debt to him, he’d never see her again, except maybe in the stands at a match… because she was also a fan of Pro-Bending. Most non-Benders’ ignored the sport, unless they were filing discrimination lawsuits trying to get it banned or starting conspiracy theories about how it was used as training for an army that would rise up and take over the city, then the kingdom, then the world. How could she not show the slightest sign of fear or suspicion around him?
Her father wouldn’t feel the same way, of course, and he regretted agreeing to meet him five minutes after accepting the offer. He and the rest of the businessmen of the city lived in constant dread of the Bending gangs offering them “protection” next, after all. How furious would he be to find out his daughter went out to dinner alone with a Firebender?
But a pleasant shock was waiting for him in that quarter, too. Their sponsor offer finally made him believe that they didn’t look down on him, didn’t hate him or his power, believed he had as much right to live and work and succeed in this city as anyone.
Yet, he hesitated when she invited him for an evening carriage ride through the park. He couldn’t help asking, only half-sarcastically, “You sure you’d feel safe driving around alone after dark with a Firebender?” She didn’t laugh; there was the faintest sign of hurt in her normally lively, sparkling eyes as she took his hand in her own and said, “I’d hate for anybody to think I wouldn’t.” He smiled to let her know he believed her.
He could tell she wanted to know more about the implications of his question - what he’d been through that made him say it. But once he was alone with her by his side, he didn’t want to think about the rarity of his situation; he just wanted to enjoy the privilege. He appreciated the fact that she didn’t press him, and he was glad she wasn’t shy; being allowed to hold her so close helped prove to him it was all real. He found himself comfortably confiding in her. He had to admire her tact as she took the remotest opportunity to segue into assuring him, “I feel so safe with you.”