I dunno if it's just my shipping goggles or whatever, but I feel like a lot was implied by the interactions between Korra and Asami in episodes 7 and 8 of this season. Anyone else get that feeling? So anyway Korra and Asami are totally in love.
Oh and the title is a reference to Ingrid Michaelson's song "Afterlife." Yep. Go listen to it.
When Korra finally returned to Republic City, all she wanted was a hot bath and a change of clothes. Spending so much time in the swamp had made her smell like Toph, and that was not a good thing.
So after a happy reunion with Naga, Bumi, Tenzin, and Pema, she went straight to her room.
She stood in the doorway for several long moments, a bit surprised that it hadn't changed at all in three years. Except for one thing. There was a cot set up next to her bed. She frowned as she walked in and sat on the edge of her bed, sighing a bit at the familiar feel of the mattress. She started unwrapping her wristbands, staring hard at the cot as she did so.
The realization hit her like a tidal wave.
Her room really hadn't changed in three years. Because three years ago, Asami had been sleeping in her room with her on this cot.
Korra felt ashamed that she'd forgotten. For the first few nights after Zaheer's defeat, Asami was sleeping in her own room down the hall. But after three days of waking up to Korra screaming in her sleep and running through the dark to comfort her, she decided to stay with her all night. Korra had complained at first, insisting she wasn't a child and she didn't need to be looked after. But Asami refused to listen, and in the end, Korra was more grateful than she could put into words.
The Avatar sat on her bed in stunned silence, staring at the cot like it was something sacred. She couldn't help but reflect, remembering all the times she was awoken by Asami's gentle voice, all the times she dissolved into tears on Asami's shoulder, all the times she fell back to sleep in the comfort of Asami's arms.
The nightmares hadn't gone away, but they hadn't seemed nearly as scary when she started falling in love with her best friend.
Korra closed her eyes and let out a long, slow breath. She had missed a lot of things and a lot of people, being away for three years. But she had missed Asami more than anything. It had surprised her at first while she languished at the South Pole. She and Asami had just barely become good friends when the Red Lotus reared its ugly head. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized just how important the industrialist had become to her.
The world had broken down around her. In the past couple of years, everything had been taken from her. Her bending, her connection to her past lives, and now her own body was refusing her. If she was left alone with her thoughts, it might have destroyed her. And Asami knew that, so she never left her alone. She made her a wheelchair, she carried her up and down the stairs on her back, she woke her from her nightmares and soothed her back to sleep, she helped her bathe and dress, and she was never once asked to do any of it. She just did.
Korra had thanked her about a thousand times in the weeks she spent at her side. She was embarrassed and ashamed, but it didn't matter to Asami. Korra could see how it was wearing on her, seeing the Avatar at her worst, but she never complained. She never broke down. And then…
Korra sighed and rubbed her eyes. She had left. For three years. And she missed her so much it hurt. But she only wrote back once, and then she just disappeared, and only now did she realize how much Asami must have been hurting too.
She knew she had to fix this. So she made lunch plans with Asami and Mako. And she finally took that long bath.
Unfortunately, the rest of the day was not as relaxing as she had hoped.
The hug was great, but then she almost immediately made Asami mad at her. Plus she had to deal with Wu hitting on her. But the day wasn't a total loss. The kidnapping, car chase, and train fight were actually pretty fun. She felt like her old self again, and they felt like Team Avatar again, and she and Asami were so in sync it was like no time had passed at all.
They spent the evening at the Sato Estate, lounging together on a loveseat and laughing at Mako's obvious discomfort over how his family fawned over Prince Wu.
Eventually, the sun began to set, and Asami offered to give Korra a ride back to Air Temple Island. The moment she brought it up, all Korra could think about was the cot in her room. So she sat up on the loveseat and looked Asami in the eyes. She smiled a bit when she made the CEO of Future Industries blush.
"I'd love a ride home," Korra began warmly. "But uh… I have a sort of weird favor to ask you."
Asami leaned her elbow on the back of the sofa and rested her chin on her hand.
"Anything," she said softly. Korra blushed and glanced away.
"Well… it's just… I noticed this morning that your cot is still in my room," Korra said quietly, trying desperately to sound casual but failing miserably. To her surprise, however, Asami blushed even harder.
"Right… well I…" she stammered, nervously tucking a stray hair behind her ear. Her jade eyes clouded a bit as she looked down. "I missed you. A lot. So I may have… slept there a few times."
To say Korra was shocked was an understatement. When Asami finally built up the courage to look her in the eyes, Korra was staring at her with her lips parted, her blue eyes wide and a little glassy with tears. Asami looked away again.
"Asami," Korra said softly, leaning down a bit to catch her eye. She sighed. "I'm so sorry."
"No no no," Asami said abruptly, sitting up straight and grabbing Korra's hands without thinking. "Don't… don't apologize, it's… I mean I know why you had to go."
"I should have written more," Korra murmured. "I should have… thought about how much it would hurt you when I just… I mean how much it would hurt everyone when I disappeared."
"Stop, please," Asami laughed helplessly, squeezing Korra's hands. "I don't want to think about that right now. I'm just… I just want to be happy that you're back."
Korra let out a shaky sigh. She was glad, on the one hand, that they still felt comfortable enough to be so close to each other. On the other hand, it was distracting. And tempting.
"Okay," Korra said with a weak smile. She squeezed Asami's hands right back, gratified once again that she could make the older girl blush. "I guess I've got plenty of time to apologize. I'm not going anywhere."
"Good," Asami sighed. She suddenly seemed to notice that she had grabbed Korra's hands. She bit her lip, embarrassed, and slipped her hands out of Korra's grip. "So, what was that weird favor?"
"Oh, yeah," Korra laughed lightly, nervously running a hand through her short hair. "Well… I never really stopped having nightmares. And the only time they were ever better was when you were there." Asami smiled at her, and Korra got the distinct impression that there were butterflies sumo wrestling in her stomach. "So I was kind of hoping…"
"Of course I'll stay with you tonight," Asami cut her off warmly. Korra couldn't hold in her sigh of relief, which just made Asami laugh lightly.
"Thank you," Korra whispered sincerely. Asami let out a slightly flustered laugh and looked away again.
"Come on," she murmured, tilting her head toward the door. "Let's get going."
The drive to the ferry docks was the best part of Korra's entire day. And perhaps her entire life.
They talked and laughed the whole time like it was still three years ago. Asami told her about all the work she'd done on the city, Korra told her about all the places she'd seen in the Earth Kingdom. There was an ease to their conversation that calmed Korra down to her bones.
"I've missed this," she sighed as they sat in the car on the ferry, crossing the quiet bay as the stars came out. Asami looked over at her with a lazy smile.
"Me too," she replied quietly. The two girls just gazed at each other comfortably for several long moments. Then Asami reached over and brushed some of Korra's hair behind her ear, pale fingers lingering on Korra's dark cheek, and suddenly all Korra could hear was her own heartbeat thudding in her chest.
The moment stretched, Asami's thumb stroking her cheek, and Korra closed her eyes and leaned into her touch. She hard Asami inhale sharply and had just convinced herself to lean in when the ferry thudded against the dock at Air Temple Island. Korra's eyes fluttered open. Asami was biting her lip as she withdrew her hand and turned resolutely toward the steering wheel.
The rest of the short drive to the Air Temple was silent. But not a tense silence, somehow. It seemed comfortable. And that meant everything.
They continued speaking quietly as they both got ready for bed, and Asami kept trying to help Korra without meaning to. She got Korra's pajamas from the drawer for her and held them out, only to find Korra looking at her with an amused smirk. Asami blushed and threw the clothing at her face.
"Sorry," Asami muttered sarcastically. Korra just laughed and Asami rolled her eyes. "I'm just still in the routine, I guess."
"It's alright," Korra replied with a grin. "It's kind of… sweet, actually."
Asami punched her in the arm.
She did it again when they were in the bathroom, brushing Korra's hair for her while she chatted about her latest racing satomobile. Korra didn't say anything, just held in her laughter while she watched Asami talk in the mirror. The taller girl didn't notice until she was finished, and when she finally did she fell silent and turned a deep shade of red while Korra burst out laughing.
The only way Korra could get her to speak to her again was to brush Asami's hair for her in return. She unabashedly enjoyed herself, running her fingers languidly through Asami's dark locks until Asami punched her again.
They finally made their way to bed, Korra sinking into her mattress with a blissful groan.
"Hello, old friend," Korra sighed, burying her face in the pillow. She heard Asami laughing lightly as she lied down on the cot beside her, and when Korra turned her face from the pillow, she found Asami's bright green eyes just a few feet away, sparkling with amusement. Korra grinned.
"Hey, thanks again," the Avatar said quietly, turning in her bed so she was fully facing the engineer. "I know we're a little old for sleepovers now."
"We were a little old for sleepovers three years ago," Asami pointed out, and Korra snorted with laughter. "But I don't care. I want to spend as much time with you as I can."
The smile slid from Korra's face when she saw the slightly fragile look in Asami's eyes. The waterbender frowned and propped herself up on her elbow.
"Do you think I'm going to leave again?" Korra asked lowly. Asami looked away.
"I don't know," she admitted, a slight edge to her tone that made Korra wince. "I mean… you were only supposed to be gone a few weeks."
"I'm not going anywhere, Asami," Korra replied firmly, finally catching Asami's eye again. She didn't look entirely convinced. "Not again. Not without you." Asami sighed a bit. "I promise."
"Alright," Asami murmured, and she turned so she was lying on her back looking at the ceiling. Korra frowned. Then, on a sudden impulse, she reached out and grabbed Asami's hand. The heiress looked over in surprise and Korra tugged on her, forcing her to turn back on her side and face her again. But even when she did, Korra didn't let go.
"Korra, what…" Asami began in confusion, but Korra squeezed her hand and she fell silent.
"I'm not going anywhere without you," Korra murmured, staring hard into Asami's eyes. "And I'm not letting go until you believe me."
Asami took a long, slow breath as she stared right back at the Avatar, searching her bright blue eyes. Korra just held her gaze steadily, unconsciously stroking Asami's hand with her thumb as she did so.
"Okay, I believe you," Asami relented with a smile. Korra grinned and another blush crept onto Asami's face as she glanced away. "But you don't have to let go."
Korra felt her heart skip a beat.
"Very well, Miss Sato," she said cheekily. The CEO huffed and rolled her eyes.
"You call me that again and I'll start calling you Avatar Korra," Asami growled.
"Gross," Korra muttered. "I'll stop, I swear."
"Okay then," Asami laughed softly. She let out a long, comfortable sigh and closed her eyes. "Goodnight, Korra."
"Goodnight Asami," Korra whispered.
The Avatar fell asleep almost immediately, exhausted as she was from her long journey. But sleep couldn't find Asami while Korra's hand was tight in hers. She could barely believe this was happening. She'd dreamed about Korra nonstop for three years, and there was a small part of her mind that was afraid she would wake up and Korra would still be gone.
So she did what she did best. She analyzed. She studied. She catalogued. She memorized every detail of the scene, every millimeter of warm skin that touched between their hands, every quiet breath that escaped the younger girl's lips.
If this was a dream, she was sure as hell going to remember it.
Korra didn't have any nightmares that night.
The Avatar was awoken the next morning by Asami running a hand through her hair. It was an extremely pleasant way to wake up, until she opened her eyes and saw Asami leaning over her fully dressed for work.
"You're leaving?" Korra murmured, pouting just a bit. Asami just laughed.
"Yes, unfortunately," the taller girl sighed as Korra sat up. "I have a lot to do at the office today if I'm going to be out for a while."
"Out?" Korra repeated, her heart clenching uncomfortably at the idea that Asami could be going away.
"Well I'm going to help you stop Kuvira, obviously," Asami replied easily as she pulled her hair back in a ponytail.
"Oh," was the only response Korra could muster. She shouldn't have been surprised, really, but she was. Enough to make her blush in a pleased sort of way. "Oh, I mean… of course." Asami rolled her eyes.
"You dork," she sighed fondly. Korra just grinned at her, shrugging. "Go back to sleep, it's still early. I'll be back later, okay?"
"Okay," Korra replied with an exaggerated sigh. Asami just rolled her eyes again, laughing as she headed for the door. Korra grinned with mischief. "Have a swell day at work, sweetheart!"
Asami stopped in the doorway and smirked over her shoulder.
"Well thanks, dear," she teased right back.
Then she was gone. And Korra was left sitting up in her bed, realizing that she had just flirted hardcore with Asami Sato. She blushed hard and buried her face in her hands, but she couldn't quite stop grinning. She did as Asami suggested and burrowed back into her bed, only waking up again when Pema came to check on her because it was nearly noon.
Korra spent the afternoon relaxing at Air Temple Island, catching up with Aang's family and playing with Naga. The early evening found her and Pema sitting on the ground at the edge of the courtyard, leaning against Naga's side and watching Tenzin trying to teach Rohan to meditate. Rohan was, in reality, asleep, but neither woman pointed that out.
"So… can I ask you something?" Korra said quietly after a long, comfortable silence, turning and glancing at Pema.
"Of course," Pema replied with a kind smile. Korra frowned, staring thoughtfully at her hands.
"Did Asami spend a lot of time here while I was gone?" she asked hesitantly. Pema's gentle smile remained in place, her eyes softening at Korra's question.
"Yes, she did," Pema answered lightly. "She really missed you. She visited nearly every weekend to see if any of us had heard from you."
Korra closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.
"It's alright, Korra," Pema said firmly, picking up immediately on the young Avatar's mood. "We love having her here. She's part of the family now, really. Rohan calls her Auntie Asami."
Korra's chest tightened painfully. She had missed so much.
"Is she going to be staying over again tonight?" Pema asked, returning her gaze to her husband and youngest son. Rohan had just snored, and Tenzin was poking at him with a grumpy frown.
"I don't know," Korra murmured. "I mean… I'd like her to, but…"
"But what?" Pema prompted patiently.
"She should be mad at me," Korra sighed, rubbing her eyes. "And I think she is, deep down, but she's just holding it all in. And I don't… I mean… I want to apologize, but she said she just wants to be happy I'm home, and I…" Korra groaned, frustrated, and dropped her head into her hands. "I don't know what to do."
"Just talk to her, Korra," Pema said simply, and Korra shot her a look. Pema laughed. "I know it doesn't sound like much, but trust me. Just tell her what you told me. Tell her how you feel."
Korra blushed and looked away.
"How I feel?" she repeated nervously.
"I've told you before, Korra," Pema said with a knowing smile. "You just need to be honest."
Korra let out a long, slow breath.
"You're right," she said firmly, nodding. "Thanks, Pema." Korra got to her feet, careful not to disturb Naga, who was snoring louder than Rohan. "I'm going to the gazebo. I just need to think for a while."
Pema nodded and watched her go with a smile.
"I brought you some tea."
Korra turned in surprise. She hadn't heard Asami walk up behind her, but there she was, a gentle smile on her face and a hot cup of tea in her hands.
"Thought you might be cold out here," Asami continued.
Korra's heart skipped a beat again. Asami was the only one who could do that to her.
"You're so sweet," Korra sighed, smiling back and hopping off the gazebo railing. Asami pressed the cup into her hands, the touch lingering long enough to steal Korra's breath. "Thanks."
Asami could tell something was wrong. They talked at length about her duty as the Avatar, her failures and her successes. Tenzin showed up suddenly midway through the conversation and helped talk some sense into her. It was kind of embarrassing, hearing them both talk about her with such confidence, but it was just what she needed.
"Will you be staying with us again tonight, Asami?" Tenzin asked when their conversation came to an end.
"If it's alright," she said with a shrug, glancing at Korra.
"Of course it is," Korra smiled at her, bumping their shoulders together affectionately.
"I'll let you know when dinner is ready," Tenzin said, smiling lightly as he turned to go.
"Thanks Tenzin," the girls chorused as he left.
They settled into a long silence, leaning against the railing side by side and looking out at the sunset. They were still close enough that their arms brushed whenever they shifted.
"I'm really glad you've become so close to Tenzin's family," Korra said suddenly, and Asami blinked at her in surprise.
"Oh, good," Asami replied, and Korra was perplexed by the relief in her voice. "I was worried it might… upset you, I guess."
"Why would it upset me?" Korra laughed lightly, bumping her shoulder again. Asami blushed.
"I don't know, it's stupid," Asami murmured, glancing away. "I just thought you might be… jealous, or something."
"Well of course I'm jealous," Korra sighed, and Asami once again just blinked at her in confusion. Korra smiled sadly. "I missed so much, you know? I missed Rohan's first words and first steps. I missed Jinora's first date. And you got to be here for all of that. So yeah, I'm jealous. But I have no right to be upset."
Asami didn't say anything. She could tell Korra was waiting for her to respond, but she was at a loss. Finally, Korra sighed.
"Please just yell at me," the Avatar said quietly.
"What?" Asami asked, turning toward her fully. Korra wouldn't look at her, slightly watery eyes still fixed on the horizon.
"I know you're angry," Korra continued, her voice still just loud enough for Asami to hear over the ocean below. "You have every right to be." Asami realized she was holding her breath and exhaled slowly. "And I don't want you to just… be mad at me forever. So please, just… just yell at me so I can say I'm sorry."
"Korra," Asami began, her voice low. "I don't… want to yell at you."
"Why not?" Korra snapped, and Asami stepped back in surprise. "I left, Asami. We were finally getting close. You were at my side every second when I was broken. You were my best friend, and you offered to come with me, but I just turned you down and left." Asami clenched her jaw tightly but still didn't say anything, so Korra continued. "You wrote me every week for three years, and how many times did I write you? Once. That's more than a hundred letters from you, and you only got one back. Didn't that make you mad?"
"Korra, stop," Asami warned quietly, but Korra ignored her.
"Plus I lied," Korra blurted, and she started pacing back and forth, consumed with nervous energy. "I was supposed to come back, and everyone was all excited to see me, but I wasn't there. You didn't know where I was. I'd been missing for six months. I could have been anywhere. I could have been hurt, or sick, or dead."
"Korra please," Asami said tightly.
"And then I came back and you told me good news about your father and what did I do?" Korra shouted, finally coming to a stop in front of Asami. "I doubted you. I questioned you. I had been gone for three years! What the hell did I know about you?"
"Stop!" Asami roared, grabbing Korra by the shoulders and shoving her back against the nearest pillar. She kept the Avatar pinned there, both of them panting hard. "You're right, okay?" Asami looked down, tears in her eyes, her hands still tight on Korra's shoulders. "Of course I'm mad at you. But dammit, Korra, I don't want to be."
"Then let me say I'm sorry," Korra replied desperately, and Asami met her eyes. Korra looked a bit wild, her eyes wide and her chest rising and falling rapidly. "You have to know… if nothing else, I never meant to hurt you." She lifted her hands to Asami's elbows and slid her fingers up her arms, making the industrialist shiver when she rested her grip warmly on her wrists. "I am so sorry, Asami. For everything."
"I forgive you," Asami whispered after a long silence. She slid one hand up from Korra's shoulder to her face, brushing some hair behind her ear. "Now stop being sorry."
Korra smiled at her, slipping her hand up from her wrist to the hand on her cheek and lacing their fingers together. Asami laughed breathlessly, glancing down, but Korra's other hand slid up under her chin and tilted her head back up to meet her eyes.
There was another moment then, like the one in Asami's car the day before. But this one was closer. Warmer. More intimate. And this time, Asami leaned in without hesitation and kissed her.
It started out tender, all lips and sighs, both girls blushing and smiling into the contact. Korra wound her arms around Asami's neck and Asami slid one hand down to the small of Korra's back, the other up into her hair.
This was easy. This was right.
But as they got more comfortable with each other, things escalated. It wasn't long before Korra's lips left Asami's, trailing kisses along her cheek and jaw and down her neck, sucking on the soft skin at her pulse point, making the business woman gasp and groan like a teenager. Korra let out a sound somewhere between a teasing laugh and a predatory growl, her hot breath tickling Asami's skin, and the industrialist huffed impatiently. She pulled Korra back by her hair, surprising the Avatar but making her laugh all the same, and kissed her so hard the back of her head banged against the pillar.
"Girls, dinner is…" Tenzin called from somewhere behind them. "Ready?"
They both froze in panic before Asami shoved herself away from Korra, turning to face Tenzin and taking several steps off to Korra's side. Korra, meanwhile, was scrubbing at her lips with the back of her hand in an attempt to remove Asami's lipstick. Instead, she was making it worse.
Tenzin stared blankly at the two of them, completely at a loss. They were both a bit of a mess, hair mussed from each other's fingers, lips swollen from their prolonged and enthusiastic contact, red marks already appearing on Asami's neck, and both of them wide eyed and blushing hard.
There was an excruciatingly long silence. Then Tenzin shook himself briskly.
"Like I said, dinner is ready," he said calmly. Korra and Asami exchanged a sidelong glance. He cleared his throat uncomfortably and nodded at them. "Maybe… clean up a bit before you come to the table. Unless you want Ikki and Meelo asking a lot of… questions."
With that, the airbending master turned on his heel and walked back into the temple. Korra and Asami glanced at each other again. Then they both burst out laughing. Asami pulled the giggling Avatar into her arms, planting a kiss on her cheek and then immediately trying to wipe off the lipstick she left behind. Korra just let out a long sigh of relief and wrapped her arms around Asami's waist.
"I really missed you," Korra murmured, burying her face in Asami's shoulder.
"I really missed you too," Asami laughed.
They managed to make themselves presentable for dinner, but Tenzin couldn't quite make eye contact with them for a few days.