Disclaimer: I own nothing. Hope you enjoy, I just pumped this out between 3 and 4am. I read it over for spelling and grammar but I'm not guaranteeing perfection. If it sucks, well, let me down gently.
Therapy with Katara had gone well that afternoon. Korra made her way home in her crutches feeling revitalized and refreshed. Kids raced past her in the snowy streets and a few stopped her to talk, red-faced and cheerful. Korra smiled to herself as she moved on, remembering the kids she used to run around with on her rare days off growing up in the Southern Water Tribe. Her thoughts shifted to the words Katara had spoken as Korra soaked after another walking session. Korra had mentioned her longing for her own friends in Republic City, setting Katara on a reminiscent tale of her younger days with her brother, Toph, Zuko and Aang.
Katara's tales of friendship and mischief transitioned to the story of her falling in love with Aang. Korra listened passively, letting Katara's words fall over the room while her own thoughts flew away to Republic City. She thought about her friends and about all the people who had become like family to her, and she missed the all deeply. Katara's story of her and Aang's love made Korra's heart ache for one person in particular. Her days had kept her focus exclusively on her own healing; rarely had she taken the time to think of anyone else.
As she made her way home, she realized the ache in her heart was one she couldn't ignore. The manifestation of the feeling hit her like a brick: how could she not have known how in love she was? Korra felt terrified and vulnerable. She was in deep and she was completely alone.
She was greeted by her parents when she entered the study. Her father had been reviewing status reports of the Earth Kingdom's crisis as her mother poured over essays. Senna glanced up at her daughter a second time when she saw the distant look in Korra's eyes.
"Did your session go all right with Katara?" she asked, concerned.
Korra met her mothers eyes and nodded. "Yeah, she says I'm making progress."
"Good," Tonraq smiled, setting the report down and gazing at Korra proudly. "I know you'll be back in fighting shape soon, Korra. Just keep at it."
Korra responded with a small simper. "I'll be with Naga if you need me."
Korra moved through the hallways, passing a couple of servants and guards along the way. The change in her parents' lives amazed her even a year and a half after her arrival to the south. She recalled with a sense of nostalgia the small hut she had been born in and raised in for the first few years of her life. After he had been named Chief of the Water Tribe and the palace had been constructed Tonraq and Senna had moved in.
Naga was kept in a large, sheltered pen outside, just down the hall from Korra's room. Korra sat with her for several minutes, tossing a large ball and letting Naga return it to her each time.
"I'm sorry I can't wrestle with you yet, girl," Korra said to her, giving the polar bear dog a loving scratch on the nose as Naga came up and nudged her. "I'll be able to run again soon, I promise."
Naga looked up to the door and Korra followed the dog's gaze. Senna stood gazing at her daughter adoringly.
"Hey, mom," Korra greeted.
"Mind if I come sit with you for a bit?"
Korra smiled and patted the space on the bench next to her. "Naga and I were just playing catch."
Senna lowered herself onto the bench. She reached a delicate hand over and pushed Korra's hair behind her ear. Korra laughed and pulled away.
"What's up?" Korra asked.
Senna breathed and turned her eyes down. "Well, I was hoping you could tell me." She gave a deliberate look at Korra.
"What do you mean?"
"Sweetie, I'm not blind. I know when something's weighing you down."
Korra knit her eyebrows together, confused. Then she relaxed. She could tell her mother she was perfectly fine, that nothing was out of the ordinary, but Katara's advice over the past year had sunk in. Korra could not learn to get better by keeping her feelings bottled deep inside. This was no exception.
"Mom, I can trust you right?"
"Of course, Korra," Senna replied.
Korra met her eyes, unable to hide the anxiety she felt rising in her chest. "And you won't think anything less of me, no matter what I tell you?"
"Korra, what's –" Senna started, but the frightened look in her daughter's face made her stop. "Korra, I could never stop loving you. You know that."
Korra looked down. She took in a quick breath and shrugged. "I'm in love."
Senna blinked. She almost laughed, and Korra noticed her catch herself.
"And you weren't the year you spent with Mako?"
Korra scratched the back of her head. "Well, of course I loved Mako. But this – I just feel different about this."
Senna smiled but saw the nervous expression return to Korra's face.
"So who's the special boy?"
Korra looked up, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed. "Um, well, that's sort of the thing, mom. I just, well, I want you to know I never thought this would happen, and I wasn't looking for it, and I would have told you sooner if I knew," Korra rambled, and Senna cut her off by placing a hand on her lap. Korra let out a huff. "It's Asami."
Senna's eyes softened as Korra tensed up, drawing back from her mother. Her face was burning and she turned back to face the ground, clutching her hands.
"Does she know?"
Korra paused, then looked back up at her mother. She shook her head quickly and looked back down.
"No. I kind of just realized it today."
Senna smiled and Korra slowly looked back up at her.
"I was wondering why you always spoke about her so much."
Korra opened her mouth to speak but no words came to her mind. She gave her neck another scratch. "I do?"
Senna rolled her eyes. "Almost every day. For the longest time it was impossible to get a word from you, but then you got those letters from your friends. At fist you were telling us about all of your adventures but when you started walking again, all your father and I heard about was your time with Asami."
Korra gave a small laugh. "Oh," she replied. "I guess I didn't realize."
Senna gazed warmly at her daughter. "You know, I sort of had a feeling that's what was going on. You remind me of myself when I met your dad."
Korra shook her head with a groan. "Am I going to get another falling-in-love story? I'm sorry mom, but I had about as much as I could take from Katara today."
Senna laughed. "Is that what clued you in about your feelings for Asami?"
"Yeah, actually."
The two sat looking at each other, and Senna brought a hand over to give her daughter's cheek a nudge. Korra blushed and turned away. "So you don't think I'm weird?"
"I think you're completely weird," Senna beamed. She brought Korra into a tight embrace, resting her cheek on her head. "But I don't think you're weird for finding love in this crazy world."
Korra smiled and closed her eyes. She moved an arm around her mother's waist. A thought crossed her mind and her heart sank.
"What if Asami thinks it's weird?" she asked in a small voice.
Senna sighed and rubbed Korra's shoulder. "Then you write me a letter and tell me all about it."
Korra leaned out of the embrace and laughed softly as Naga slid her nose under her arm. Korra absently scratched Naga behind the ear. She looked back at her mother.
"Thanks, mom, for understanding."
"Sweetie, you never have to be afraid of telling me anything. It isn't often I get a chance to sit with my baby girl and talk about the big things in your life. It's moments like these that make all those years watching you grow up away from me worth it."
Korra could feel tears stinging her eyes and wrapped her arms back around her mother's shoulders. Senna returned to embrace as Naga settled her head between both their laps with a content growl. Korra knew her feelings might remain unrequited. She knew she was miles away from the girl her made her heart flutter, and she knew months would still pass – possibly years – before she could see Asami again, but it was okay. It was all okay.
A/N: I headcanon Senna to be a teacher or something like that. Either that or a fashion designer/artist. Because does she really just sweep and be a mom to an absent Avatar all day? (Either that or she helps with political stuff being that she's sort of like a First Wife now but still - she's markin' essays in this one.)
I felt a depressing lack of Korra and Senna moments, and finally got some mom/daughter feels the last couple seasons. Wanted to explore their relationship a little more. And obviously Senna wouldn't give a shit about Korra being into chicks 'cause like, she loves her daughter. Same with Tonraq but I wanted this to be a special moment of revelation between Mom and Daughter. I doubt Korra would ever actually open up like that if she had feelings for Asami but who cares. This is fanfiction for a reason.
Thanks for reading! I have another story in the works with a focus on Asami but I want it to be complete when I start posting it. So. Here's this for now. I'ma go sleep now.
