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.]
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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.]
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She pulls away and shoves her hands in her pockets.]
We should do something fun sometime. When you're not busy.
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I can be not busy whenever you like.
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