[Korra shoves her hands in her pockets and rocks back on her heels. Now that Chekov is here, she's not sure how to ask him what she wants to. She hasn't exactly mentioned to him that she's started seeing Hei again... or that it happened right after she killed him. Considering everything that's happened, she really wants to keep her friendship with Chekov as far away from whatever she has with Hei as humanly possible.
But Chekov's the only person she knows who might know the answer to her question. He's the smartest person she knows.
She takes a breath for courage.]
Is there a way for someone to know what's going on somewhere else without being there and without being told?
[She hopes that makes sense, but she has a sinking feeling she'll actually have to give him details.]
[Chekov picks up on her uncertainty and becomes less certain himself. Korra has a way of introducing things into their friendship that challenges that very friendship; he's hoping that won't be the case now.
When she actually asks her question, he's immensely relieved (if confused).]
What resources would this someone have? Are they able to read minds? Do they have a friend who may be serving as a spy? Are they relying on technology?
I don't know. [She crosses her arms tightly across her chest, trying to figure out whether to give him more details or not. She'd really rather not...]
A camera. The network devices have them built in. They film us--take continuous pictures. If Hei--Li knows things he can't possibly know without surveillance, I think he's hiding these to watch you.
[There are plenty of answers he could give: to monitor you, to ensure that you don't compromise his cover, to have some control over every aspect of your life, to... well, there are some possibilities that Chekov would rather not think about.]
As far as I can see, you can either confront Hei, ask someone to remove the cameras for you if they make you uncomfortable, or ignore the existence of the cameras altogether.
Everything. [Jinora hates her. Tohru's gone. Arthur's gone. Hei is confusing and complicated and painful and even if she wanted to talk to anyone about him, she can't. (The last time she tried, she ended up killing Chekov.)]
[He flops down onto his back and looks up at the sky. Perhaps the answers to everyone's problems are written up there in that potentially artificial atmosphere.]
I have time, if you would like to elaborate. [Chekov looks over at Korra, just as sincere as ever.] I'm your friend. If you don't want me to tell anyone what you tell me, I won't.
[He does the same and grabs her hand before she can get up entirely. This isn't just weariness or a reaction to the knowledge that she's being spied on. Chekov knows about Korra's spat with Jinora and Tohru's disappearance; Jinora was upset about both and needed an outside party to listen to her. Bringing it up would be unfair to the young airbender, and he shouldn't pry, but...]
My father has told me that the worries we keep to ourselves never disappear. They're like injuries--they need to be tended to, or they get worse. [It's sound advice that Chekov often has difficulties listening to.] You don't need to tell them to me, but you shouldn't hold on to them.
[There. He didn't give anything away and it wasn't prying, really. Just advice.]
[Yeah, Korra's heard that before. It's good advice -- easier to hear than to follow. She reaches out to hug him (not as tightly as she usually would, still ever-mindful of how fragile he is)]
[Thank you is just a polite way to say I don't want to talk about it, but he didn't have high expectations. It would be extremely hypocritical to do more than offer the advice.]
Of course.
[And Chekov hugs her back just as tightly as ever, as if that alone can convince her that he's not so delicate as she thinks.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
message; early afternoon 4/26
What is it, Korra?
action;
But Chekov's the only person she knows who might know the answer to her question. He's the smartest person she knows.
She takes a breath for courage.]
Is there a way for someone to know what's going on somewhere else without being there and without being told?
[She hopes that makes sense, but she has a sinking feeling she'll actually have to give him details.]
action;
When she actually asks her question, he's immensely relieved (if confused).]
What resources would this someone have? Are they able to read minds? Do they have a friend who may be serving as a spy? Are they relying on technology?
action;
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Chekov puts a hand on Korra's shoulder and gives her a Very Serious look.]
I can't answer without knowing the full question.
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I found some of [she's not sure whether Chekov knows "Hei"] Li's pictures. I put them in a drawer in my room.
He knew I had them. He knew exactly which ones I had, and when I found them. How could he have done that?
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A hidden camera would be the simplest explanation. They aren't so difficult to implement.
[Chekov has found hidden cameras of his own; it's part of Hei's operation. Constant, paranoid monitoring.]
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The full implications of Hei hiding cameras in her room hasn't yet occurred to her.]
Why?
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I can speculate, but you would need to ask Li.
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Yes. I believe I've found most, if not all, of the cameras.
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What do I do?
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If I remove the cameras, he'll find a way to put them back.
[She's naive, not delusional. She growls and throws herself on the ground, taking cold comfort from the solid earth and glaring at the sky.]
I hate this.
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[He sits on the ground next to her, cross-legged and curious.]
What is it that you hate?
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I have time, if you would like to elaborate. [Chekov looks over at Korra, just as sincere as ever.] I'm your friend. If you don't want me to tell anyone what you tell me, I won't.
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It's fine. I'm just tired. I should probably get home.
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My father has told me that the worries we keep to ourselves never disappear. They're like injuries--they need to be tended to, or they get worse. [It's sound advice that Chekov often has difficulties listening to.] You don't need to tell them to me, but you shouldn't hold on to them.
[There. He didn't give anything away and it wasn't prying, really. Just advice.]
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Thank you.
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Of course.
[And Chekov hugs her back just as tightly as ever, as if that alone can convince her that he's not so delicate as she thinks.]
action;
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