Title: (Currently untitled, but I’m going for “The AU That Shouldn’t Exist BUT IT DOES”)
By: Yssa B.
Fandom: Legend of Korra
Warnings: Modern AU, no bending.I mean, I don’t know, if it shouldn’t exist….
Parts: music!au tag
Notes: I’m almost sorry. But. Not quite. Many thanks to Hannah, since this AU is basically our child.
No set updates. Just a bunch of drabbles that hopefully will turn into something that resembles a plot?

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She stood still and watched him. Even if the people around her moved and jostled, she refused to change her spot.

She’s seen a fair share of street performers; fire breathers, jugglers, groups with harmonies so sweet and smooth you’d wonder if you were in a dream.

But this one was enchanting.

She’d say it might be because of his heart. It was cold and snowing in Republic City, yet here he was with a coat and a scarf, strumming his guitar like nothing else mattered. His voice broke through the buzz and vehicles. It rang up and down the street, and it called her heart over to him. His face drew her in even more as he allowed his emotions to be thrown into the performance. Watching him made her feel happy and warm.

What a nice welcome into the city, she thought.

The large white dog barked next to her, surprising a number of people around her. She rubbed the animal’s head with a smile.

“I know, girl,” she said. “He’s playing so hard that his strings are going to—”

“EEP!”

“—break.”

A couple of girls surrounding him whined at his (or their) misfortune, and the guy sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. “S-Sorry, folks! Guess that’s the end of the show!” Some people threw in change and a couple of bills in the open guitar case in front of him, careful not to hit the red striped animal lying in it.

She turned to the dog. “You feel like making friends, girl?”

Her dog barked again.

He was talking to the red panda in his guitar case when she approached. “Aw man…Mako isn’t going to be happy when he finds out I broke the strings again…you think he’d believe me if I said a random mean stranger came up to me and slashed my guitar out of spite for my awesome musical talent?”

The animal chirped a “probably not” to him.

“You need strings?”

The guy jumped and turned, assuming a fighting pose—until he saw her holding a roll of silver string in her hand.

“I always keep a spare on me in case something like this happens,” she said, handing him the roll.

It took him a while to register that someone was actually nice enough to give him things for free without any consequences. “Y-You’re really giving me your spare strings?”

She shrugged. “Why not?”

He looked like he could kiss her right there. “Thank you, kind stranger!” He turned to the red panda excitedly. “Look, Pabu! We don’t have to spend money on string!!”

Her heart fell. “You’re that broke?” She was always taught to carry spare strings, but to not be able to afford it? It was something she couldn’t comprehend so easily.

“Huh? Oh. Uh.” He rolled his lips in and smiled. “My brother and I are trying to pay off tuition, and music is all I have.”

She frowned, her hand wandering to her dog to scratch behind her ears. “I’m sorry to hear that. I wish I could help you more, but I only have my card…”

“Oh, no no no! You don’t need to!” He waved his arms frantically, stepping back like she was a demon to ward off. “You already helped a lot and you’re really nice, so it’s nothing!” He crouched to pack his guitar, and he held the string as if it was a sacred artifact. He seemed like such a little kid that she had to smile. “I’ve never seen you ‘round these streets before. You a newcomer?”

“That’s right,” she said. “I’m actually looking for Air Temple Island. You know how to get there?”

He stood, brushing off some extra snow off his shoulders. “Sure do!” The smile was almost blinding on his face, a pleasant change from the stoic crowd. “You just keep going down this road, and you take a left at the second light. You’ll see the docks for the ferry there.”

“Great!” She did a small hop, readjusting the large bag on her back. “By the way, I’m Korra, and this is my best friend, Naga.”

The white dog barked, standing to its full height when she realized they were leaving. The musician yelped. “Y-Your dog is huge!”

Korra blinked and looked down. “She only goes up to my hip.”

“O-Only?”

She chuckled. “Maybe I’ll see you again. I’d love to hear you play.”

“Yeah! That would be great!” His smile went from ear-to-ear. “If you’re ever around Republic University, ask around for a ‘Bolin.’ I’ll pay you back for the string somehow.”