Korrasami – 15 Years Later
Author's Note: Not giving away ANYTHING. :p
Except that this whole small story could fit neatly into a few-minute TV Special *wink* *wink* Bryke
Also, for Korra's appearance, refer to an image through the link on my Deviant Art page by the same name, under the story in the description. Don't know whose pic it is, but I cannot find it on DA, only a Tumblr image exists that I can link to.
Love it! Just friggin' love her appearance.
The clear sky over Republic City was starting to take on an orange hue as a soft, soothing breeze carried itself, rewarding every tired citizen who was ready to call it a day. One among them taking long strides, leaving the building of the City Hall behind her, as anxious to escape its occupants as she was of returning home.
She could feel the slight wind ruffling her short dark-brown pixie strands, as well as pairs of eyes following her every step. She got used to all the attention a long time ago. She had to. Though, she knew full well most didn't just look at her as the Avatar, anymore. And that's not all who she was, either. She hadn't been for the past decade.
Her mind mulled over all that as she reached for her keys, climbing into her convertible car, which was barely off the assembly line. The latest and greatest from Future Industries. A perk. She boasted slightly to herself as she plopped down in the driver seat, dropping her backpack in the seat next to her. Her attire wasn't her usual one, having gotten used to dressing only a bit more formally when attending meetings. She wasn't exactly a politician, but as the Avatar she wasn't only obligated to take part, she was requested…rather than required to. They knew her temper all too well and no one really had the nerve to outright order her. Not that she needed ordering to help with matters regarding the governing of the city, knowing her responsibilities.
The mobile was already rolling without her even paying much attention to her driving as routine took over the motions which once needed supervision by an afraid-for-her-life heiress of the industry.
She headed towards the outskirts of the city and looked at the sky. The beam of light, from the very Spirit Portal her battle with Kuvira spawned, shone brightly. The surrounding crater and once devastated landscape long since overgrown with lush green vegetation. A whole forest-city, inhabited by spirits, stood where she and the love of her life began their first steps as a couple.
She could have turned on the radio to hear some pro-bending news or a repeat of Lin's post-retirement interview, but figured she would read the papers for the former and would pay their one and only Chief a visit tomorrow to get an interview of her own, without the presence of the media. Not that Lin ever shied away from speaking her mind no matter who was present. She mentally ran through her itinerary for the next day, not wanting to waste a single thought on her duties and responsibilities at home, but devote all her attention to what was waiting for her there.
Her body acted on its own, following her thoughts, sensing her eagerness to reach her destination. It must have. As she hadn't even noticed how fast the buildings were seemingly flying by her as her foot slowly pressed further down on the pedal, going faster, with every second.
She was forced out of her thoughts by the blaring of sirens as she realized how fast she had been moving and a glance into the mirror confirmed she made a mistake when she saw the, actually all too familiar, flashing lights of a police car.
"Tch…Darn it." she cursed under her breath as she slapped her hand on the steering wheel. "Not again." Why now…?, she thought with a groan.
She slowed down and pulled over to stop, close to the curb and only a fairly short distance away from the bridge leading out of the city center; the road going off from it stretching through the suburbs and into their quiet, sparsely populated neighborhood.
And she would have crossed over by now.
She sighed as she wasn't even looking in the rearview to see the officers approaching, for she could hear them muttering to each other in hushed voices.
"Is that…?" a meek voice started to ask the other.
"Yeah. It's her." confirmed a deeper, older and rather bored voice. Either that or the person it belong to was just unimpressed and wanted to let her know. Apparently, the voice was familiar as she recognized one of the officers and his moustached face couldn't have been any less surprised as he walked up to her in her car.
"Well, well…look who we have, here." was his way of saying he wasn't exactly thrilled or bothered at seeing her.
"Oh, hey." Korra greeted them both as she rested her elbow on the side of the car, her right hand still on the steering wheel.
"Evening Ma'am!" the younger of the officers even bowed politely and Korra waved a hand to him for the sake of nicety and because the kid was obviously not used to coming face to face with any celebrities, never mind one of her status. She didn't even like those words, anymore. Celebrity or status. Nothing she could do about it. Ironically, she used to flaunt her fame and name, if for nothing else than to strike some fear in the hearts of those who crossed her and her friends.
"We meet again." the older officer said with - the opposite of - enthusiasm in his voice.
"Yeah. It's so nice to see you, again." Korra replied, sarcastically.
"What is it, the fifth time this year." he stated rather than asked, mockingly. Probably keeping count of reports from fellow officers.
"You would know, wouldn't you?" Korra said, only mildly irritated, as she began searching her bag for the usual documents the police always asked for. Both officers could see that as composed as the woman was trying to keep herself, she was anxious to be elsewhere. As were they. It was just one of those days.
"Look, just take my info, write me my ticket and I'll be out of your hair." And you'll be out of mine. She thought as she tried to hurry things along, handing the officer her documents.
"I should know your information by heart, now." commented the seasoned of the two, chuckling a little derisively as Korra finished handing over all the necessary papers.
"Maybe you should." suggested Korra, not even in jest as they probably both predicted they hadn't seen the last of each other. It was actually a serious suggestion so the next time they would find themselves in this familiar situation it would be over faster for both their sakes.
"Hmhm." came the half-hearted grunt, which sounded like an actual agreement, from the officer as he finished taking down her information and handed her back her papers along with a board to sign a few spots on the prints clipped to it.
"Here." said Korra, as quickly scribbled through all of them and nearly threw the board back.
The officer checked all the pages and finding everything in order he nodded for his colleague to return to their service vehicle, who bowed to Korra and hurried back as he heard his senior say to her "Have a nice evening and drive safely now, Ms. Sato!"
"Riiight." came Korra's reply while she let out a sigh at the same time.
She watched the officers settle back into their car, through the mirror, stuffed her newest speeding ticket into the front pocket of her backpack and placed a firm hand, with a ringed finger, on the gearshift, then carefully rolled out.
Ms. Sato. It's been nearly 12 years since they married and she figured she'd take Asami's last name. Yet, every time she was called by it, it filled her with nostalgia and longing. Images of the moment she proposed flicked through her mind like a mover. Neither of them thought it would happen on that day and at that place, as she herself only made up her mind right then and there. In the middle of a ball, following an opening ceremony for several new Future Industries factories worldwide and the honoring of both Asami's work and her own across the world. They were still standing on a podium, after a speech, when she looked into Asami's eyes and she could see the determination in her own, reflected in Asami's loving gaze. Everything disappeared around them, the room, the crowd as she suddenly dropped to one knee, clasping the woman's hand with both of her own, who only stared, following her movements, looking like she was ready to scream or faint as Korra uttered the question. She was speechless. Only having enough clarity of thought, or maybe it was just pure impulse, to bend down and cover Korra's lips with her own, falling into her embrace and whispering the word repeatedly between each kiss, saying it louder with each one.
Korra maintained a slower speed and as she came back from her thoughts, once more, found herself in the middle of the bridge, already. Looking back, she could no longer even see Republic City's Finest and her attention was drawn as the lights around the city were turning on, as if chasing after her, the lamps on the bridge coming to life, swiftly, one after the other as they caught up to her and continued to illuminate the rest of the bridge and the neighborhoods after it, lighting her way home.
She drove on, off the bridge and into the idyllic part of the city. A transition from the hustle and bustle beneath multi-story buildings with all their glaring lights to the quaint, dimly lit porches of family homes and their gardens.
The sun began to disappear behind the mountains, painting them and the sky in shades of pink that would turn to magenta and dark blue.
She slowed down and kept cruising through the quiet hamlets, trying to disturb the piece as little as possible with the roar of the engine, giving just enough throttle to maintain a slow, steady speed that was enough for the vehicle to climb the small incline of the road with ease, all the way to the edges of the suburban area.
Only a minute, now. She thought to herself as she held her breath for a long second. She could see the shrubs and trees of their garden and could smell their flowers in her mind, already as she swerved a little to the side, preparing to turn and enter their property.
Asami stopped living in her office after their wondrous vacation. In the years Korra was gone she buried herself in her work, inside the company. She knew her beloved had her suspicions about where she had been staying when she learned she allowed the relatives of Mako and Bolin to move into her estate years before. Only on their vacation did she reveal it to her, after much pleading from Korra to get the truth out of her, as she didn't want her to be any more guilt-ridden about the missed years than she already was. After their vacation, they immediately moved in together on Air Temple Island, which was as far away from prying eyes and any danger, as they could get. Unless one counted nosy air-bender children as both.
She smiled at the memory of Tenzin and his family as she was putting the finishing touches on their dinner, standing at the kitchen counter, in front of the large corner-window of the house they built nearly 6 years ago. Their home was luxurious, though not nearly large enough to be called an estate or a mansion. And neither of them desired such overly grandiose accommodations and existence. Their life had enough of it in it. The building itself had a basement, but instead of an upper floor, the roof was flat and had functioned as a terrace with a table, benches and flower beds on the side pressing against guard-railings, with a wide empty space in the middle for dancing or exercise, where her wife often sat, meditating, or seemingly danced, moving the wind and moving with it as she practiced her air-bending even to this day. More to relax than in any actual need of further mastery. From where she was, she could see nearly half their garden and her workshop, built a short distance away from the main house and she had a clear view of their front-gate through which her loving wife just rolled in, at that very moment.
She hastened herself with the bits and pieces that remained from preparing dinner, as she heard the engine stop, but she could still feel a light rumbling, inside the house, in the very floor itself. She smiled knowingly, in anticipation and she turned her head just in time to see a small frame blur by the kitchen door. A fraction of a second later, she heard their front door burst open and a high-pitched, but already strong voice scream in excitement. "Mommy's home!"
Korra shut the car-door with one hand, in her other, holding her bag, which she dropped and let fall on purpose, immediately as soon as she heard their front door nearly fly off its hinges. She locked her eyes on the most precious thing she and Asami had and ever will have, in the form of a gorgeous, irresistibly adorable and already incredibly smart and strong bundle of pure joy that was their nearly 6 years old daughter.
"Hey, squirt!" Korra called to her with pride and love as she bent down to bear the full frontal force of her as she launched herself into her arms. Their daughter, though, obviously adopted, might as well have been of their own blood as she had her wife's raven locks, only wavier, and skin that almost matched her own with olive eyes.
She kissed her all over and got the same in return. They were grinning in each other's face as her little one peered over her shoulders, into the car and her eyes fell on her backpack and the ticket sticking out of its pockets.
"Huh!" her daughter gasped. And Korra held her with one hand as she promptly put a single finger to her mouth.
"No. No. Mommy doesn't need to know about that!" she whispered, trying to plead with her.
For a little girl she already possessed a remarkable intellect and an almost frighteningly shrewd look in her eyes, just that moment.
"What's in it for me?" she asked slyly, not any less adorable, still. And Korra wasn't even taken aback, anymore as she pondered for a second.
"You can…have extra sweets and…we can go to the fair, tomorrow." she bargained, though it was planned, anyway.
"Deal!" her daughter accepted as they sealed it with their pinkies and Korra put her back down.
"Now, go and wash your hands and get your pajamas." she told her and as she ran back in, giggling, Asami came outside and walked over to her as Korra added "Little extortionist."
"I think she gets that from you miss Business Woman of the Year." she said to her wife with a smile on her face and in her voice.
"You forgot to add 'for the Past Decade'." Asami boasted, teasingly, with a loving smile of her own and Korra gave her a knowing look.
"Wonder what she has on you, this time?" Asami mused, teasing her wife some more as she noticed the latest addition to their record.
"Wow. You're only averaging half a dozen of these per year, now." she told Korra and started tapping her chin with her finger. "Hm…Maybe you won't get any dessert, tonight." she added, and Korra growled hungrily. Famished both in the literal sense and figuratively, as well. The weariness from only minutes ago, gone completely as only her wife could have such an effect. And only she ever could.
"Hey, I still have to beat your record." Korra answered, reminding her she had an even longer rep-sheet.
"I have faith in you." Asami assured her of her undying confidence in her, in everything she did, even if it was breaking the law, as she put her arms around Korra's neck and the latter grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into a deep kiss, with a passion in it that never once dimmed in the slightest, through the years. They pulled away and looked down as they felt small arms hugging them around their legs, as their daughter had already finished washing her hands and had changed into her pajamas and was standing on her toes in flip-flops. They happily pondered whether it was their kiss that lasted for so long or whether their daughter was just that fast.
Nighttime nearly set in, as they began to slowly walk towards their house, with their daughter in the middle, holding their hands, as the two women gazed at each other and they could hear a music that wasn't there, but might as well have been. Slow rhythms that could inexplicably draw forth tears, were flowing in the back of their minds and hearts, and so it was with every moment they were together.
Now. Always. And forever.