She was five years old when she realized she was different from the other little girls.
It was something that she never truly understood, never seemed to give much thought about until one day during one of her father's business functions. One of Hiroshi's business partners had brought his children with him to keep the young heiress entertained, a boy and a girl. The parents of the children commented on how the little boy flirted with Asami and how it was adorable for the two to dance awkwardly to the live band, but while he was kind he didn't quite catch Asami's attention. Not like how his sister had. She felt as if her stomach had suddenly become filled with butterflies at the sight of the other girl's toothy smile, her light laugh, those bright blue eyes. By the end of the night, Asami had traded the brother's hand in favor for the younger sister, twirling the girl around like she had seen the other guests do on the dance floor. It was the most fun she had all night, watching her friend smile and laugh, her dark curls bounce and the dark blue skirt of her dress spin with each step. Once the music stopped, Asami curtsied just as her mother had taught her and kissed the back of the other's hand. Such an act earned her a few looks and a stern talking with her father after the party about how it was unbecoming of a young lady to behave that way. Little girls didn't kiss other girls.
"But why not?" She would ask, confused by why her father was unhappy about the small kiss. He frowned deeply and shook his head in disgust.
"Because it is wrong, Asami. Little girls aren't meant to kiss other girls. Now promise me you won't do that again."
So she promised.
[x]
She was nine when she kissed her first boy.
It was on the schoolyard during lunchtime, and she had been sitting under her favorite shade tree with her best friend, Zhang. The two had been laughing at something she had said when it happened. It was quick and unexpected, ending before she could stop it herself. When the little boy pulled away, he had a goofy grin on his face, almost as if he was proud of himself for doing that. But Asami... she felt nothing. The kiss was dull, boring, and more importantly disgusting. Her lips tasted of him and when he told her that he had wanted to do that for a while, she actually pulled her arm back and threw a solid punch right into his face. Later that afternoon when her father picked her up from the disciplinary's office and questioned her about it, she crossed her arms and spat out that little Zhang had kissed her. He kissed her! Hiroshi looked from his daughter to the boy in the corner who was sporting quite the shiner and laughed all the way home. He thought it was nothing more than a simple bout of childish love.
Asami decided that night that she didn't particularly care for boys.
[x]
She was fourteen when she had her first girlfriend.
Having decided that Republic City didn't offer the best in education, her father had sent the young heiress to the best school for other girls her age. Lady Kyoshi School for Excelling Women. The name alone made the young girl laugh. Out front of the wrought iron gates stood a large statue dedicated to the school's namesake, the fan weilding warrior casting a permanent glare at Asami as she crossed over into the campus. The school itself was beautiful, she would admit. A large cathedral-styled building loomed over her as she approached timidly with her father in tow, the headmistress looking down her pointy nose in disdain for another presumably haughty daddy's girl. As the two adults talked about what Asami would be expected to do during her stay at the school, the heiress let her eyes roam across the courtyard to take in her surroundings. Large trees in bloom, school uniforms similar to what she wore before in the city, and nothing but nature all around.
That's when she saw her.
Asami wasn't sure what it was about the other girl that drove her wild. Maybe it was the short hairstyle that framed her soft face, or the cocky smirk she flashed towards her few companions around her. Perhaps it was the very air of confidence that seemed to radiate from her. As the young nonbender tried to decide what it could have possibly been that drew her to this stranger like a moth to an open flame. Ochre eyes lifted briefly to catch her staring, and Asami felt her cheeks become warm at being caught. The other's stare was piercing and held her rooted to the ground, the fire within their depths holding so many hidden promises of adventure and excitement. This girl had danger written all over her... and the heiress found herself loving the thrill of it.
Of course, she hadn't expected the girl to saunter in her direction. That had the poor girl frightened by the way her heart was beating erratically in her chest. They were less than a few feet from each other when the stranger stopped, looking down at the young nonbender with curiosity. Asami swallowed thickly and squared her shoulders, looking back into golden eyes with determination. She would not back down. If she wanted a fight, then the heiress would give her-
"You're pretty cute."
...well, that was clearly unexpected. Asami's face fell into a shocked expression, her already pink stained cheeks taking a darker hue. The headmistress had seen the other girl approach and instructed her -Mei, she called her- to show the young Sato girl around. Mei bowed respectfully and led the other off to 'show her the ropes'.
Her hand was warm in Asami's, although the teen passed it off as being a firebender aspect. She would also use that excuse for the unusual beating of her heart, or the soft smile that had yet to leave her lips since Mei had called her cute, and the way her touch alone was electrifying.
Originally, Asami thought this school would be a terrible thing. As she continued to walk with the older girl and hold her hand, the heiress believed she could get use to this new setting.
[x]
She was just shy of turning fifteen when she had been caught.
It hadn't been more than a few months since her arrival to the school, and the firebender had taken an instant liking to Asami, finding out that there was more to the girl than she thought when Asami managed to take her down several times in a row during sparring.
Life at the school wasn't as awful as she had been expecting it, what with it being an all girls academy. The heiress quickly made friends with the other students, learning new things about the world that the city left out of the history books.
Take for instance, that the previous female incarnation of the Avatar had a lover of the same sex.
Later that night in the bedrooms when she went to Mei about it with poorly concealed wonder and confusion, the older girl laughed and confirmed her suspicions, kicking her shoes off and falling onto her mattress. Yes, it was no secret that Kyoshi did in fact have a lover. Several, to be precise. Asami couldn't believe such a thing.
"But... girls aren't suppose to be with girls." She said slowly, her brows knitted together. The firebender looked over at her with a small pout before sitting up and motioning for the heiress to join her on the bed. As soon as the young teen sat down, Mei quickly moved closer until their faces were inches apart. The close proximity of the other made Asami's pulse quicken with undeniable attraction and anticipation. She was so close that the nonbender was able to perfectly make out the small freckles dusted across the bridge of the girl's nose. Eyes the color of warm honey blinked slowly, flickering down to Asami's parted lips for half a second before meeting her eyes again.
"Life isn't all black and white, cutie. There's a whole spectrum of colors out there. Some folks... well, they like to believe that everything is monochromic, and often times they'll go out of their way to put this belief on others. Some can follow it or choose to understand that there is more to life than just two dull colors, and when they do they see the world for what it really is. If people just opened their eyes a little more, they would be able to see things." She whispered, her usual loud and distinct voice taking on a low and soothing quality. Mei let her hand rest on Asami's, her other reaching up to brush a stray lock of hair behind the other's ear. The heiress swallowed thickly before speaking.
"A-and... and what would they see?" She asked with a shaky breath. The firebender flashed her trademark grin.
"Well, they'd be able to see how often you blush that rosey shade of pink." She teased. Asami pouted which earned her friend a chuckle. "They would also see how beautiful green eyes can be when there's excitement in them. And..." Again, her eyes flickered down and Asami's breath caught. Mei leaned in slowly, glancing up to the other as she drew near.
"They would also be able to see how beautiful that shade of lipstick is on you, like a deep wine that could satisfy any man..." Asami felt her lips ghost over her own briefly, and her pulse spiked at the intense sensation it left. "... or woman."
Asami had never felt more alive than at that moment. She had heard from other girls that a kiss was suppose to be magical. To her, she felt fire in Mei's touch, and she wasn't certain on whether or not it was because she was a firebender. No, this left her skin feverish with each passing second, the gentle kiss quickly escalating into something more. She felt Mei's fingers thread themselves through her hair, prompting Asami to tilt her head some to deepen the kiss. This was what her first kiss should have felt like. The electrifying, pulse pounding sensation that she dearly hoped would neve-
The door opened and they both stilled in shock at the sounds of startled shrieks. They broke apart quickly but it was too late.
"Hei Bei, someone get the headmistress!"
Golden eyes met jade for what felt like an eternity though in reality it was just a few seconds, whispering a thousand apologies and more to the young heiress as she was grabbed by the arm and dragged out of the room.
After a stern lecture from the headmistress, she was greeted by her angered father and received another lecture of the same thing. None of which could honestly bother the heiress, who was still basking in the soft glow of her first true kiss. Slowly, the puzzle pieces were falling into place. Hiroshi walked out to the car with Asami in tow, who took one last look at the school with an oddly forlorn look. In the top window of the girls dormitory stood Mei, watching with a grim expression as the heiress got in the vehicle and left. Jade eyes glanced out the window to see the statue of Kyoshi at the iron gates of the school, and if Asami didn't know any better she would have sworn she saw a ghost of a smile on the Avatar's stone face.
[x]
She was seventeen when she first saw a picture of the new Avatar.
Asami had blown off yet another meeting with a potential suitor to go to the local jazz club. It wasn't one that was widely known throughout the city, and those few that knew of it looked down upon the establishment for its reputation. She parked her moped around the side and walked into the building as if she owned the joint, greeting the other patrons of the club like old friends. Stepping past two men in an intimate embrace without so much as a second glance, the heiress sat herself at the bar and ordered her usual cocktail, declining a cigarette from one of the few women who smoked. Based on how thick the smoke was tonight, Yun had been here for the better part of the afternoon. The heiress turned around in her seat to enjoy that evening's live band, a small local all men ensemble whose lead singer had the voice that could make a girl melt. A few of the other members of the club got up to dance, a slow sway that calmed Asami's overworked nerves down as she watched with half-lidded eyes. She was joined at the bar by an older gentleman who was reading the latest edition of 'Republic City Times'.
"-says she's already mastered three elements."
'Hello...' The heiress turned her attention away from the dance floor to her guest, looking at the headline on the paper in his hands.
'Avatar Korra: A legacy reborn'
Asami snorted softly at the title of the article, not bothering to read any further into it. It was the picture tacked on with it that made her curiosity peak.
The black and white image was grainy and the face a little off center, but the girl staring back at her wore a defiant and cocky grin, eyes full of mischief and determination. She was being blocked by what appeared to be guards and obscuring the rest of her form, but it was enough to make the nonbender want to know more about this girl. The bartender approached with her drink, saw the heiress had her eyes practically glued to the newspaper and snickered.
"Wuz dis? Does Miss 'Sami got 'er eye on a new prize?" He asked, his accent thick as he teased the young woman mercilessly. She gave him a light-hearted sneer before accepting the drink and stirring it slowly.
"Who knows? We'll just have to wait and see." She said with a sly smirk, earning another laugh from the bartender. In the few years since leaving Lady Kyoshi, the heiress had ventured out and for lack of a better term 'experimented' with other eligible bachelorette's of the city behind her father's back. Every now and then she would bring home a man around her arm to keep old Hiroshi at bay, but nothing ever lasted more than a week with the men. They were always a front for what really went on behind closed doors. One of her previous bedmates brought up a club for 'their kind' in passing, leading Asami to stumble upon it in the dead of night.
She could remember her first time stepping through those heavy doors several months ago, a few eyes watching her with a mix of curiosity and disinterest as she shyly crept around, trying her best to blend in with the crowd. Unfortunately, the poor girl stuck out like a sore thumb in the establishment and soon drew everyone's eye on her. It wasn't until the owner and bartender Ling took her under his wing and poured her a drink did she confess why she was there. He and others around her listened, even giving her some advice and encouragement about her confusion. They all became a close group, almost like another family after that night.
Now, as the next act waltzed up on stage and began to sing in a low, sultry tone did Asami grin to herself while looking back at the image of the Avatar. Maybe this one would be similar to Kyoshi in a few aspects...
[x]
She was eighteen when she ran into the Avatar.
Literally.
To be fair, the waterbender just ran out of nowhere before the heiress had time to hit the brakes. Asami watched with wide eyes as the other girl rolled to a stop in the middle of the street a few feet away, groaning as she slowly sat up. The heiress rushed to her side, cursing at herself for her stupidity and praying to whatever spirits who were watching to forgive her.
"I am so so-"
"What's the big idea? Running a girl over like that... you should have your bike taken away or something!" She snapped, rubbing her neck with a grimace. When the young teen looked up at Asami, the nonbender paused for a moment as she stared into fierce blue eyes. It was a stare she had memorized for the better part of a year, that same icy glare staring at her from the newspaper clipping from a night long ago. She shook her head clear and fumbled with her helmet, shaking her hair out and reaching down to help the other up off the street.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you until it was too late." She apologized, dusting the waterbender off gently. Blue eyes widened slightly and Asami almost swore on her late mother that the girl's cheeks darkened slightly at her closeness, but said nothing about it.
"I, uh... i-it's alright. It happens." She coughed nervously, fixing her gaze to a spot just to the Sato's left for a fleeting second before she introduced herself.
"I'm Ava-"
"Korra. I know. You made quite the entrance the other day." Asami remarked with a grin, remembering reading about the mayhem in the morning paper with a laugh. Korra chuckled sheepishly, extending her hand. The heiress took it in her own, silently cursing that she still wore her gloves. Nonetheless, the girl had quite the grip.
"Asami Sato." She returned, reluctantly letting Korra's hand go. The Avatar frowned, as if trying to recall something when she snapped her fingers and grinned.
"Future Industries, right?" She questioned, earning a slight nod from the other.
"My father's company, yes. I must admit I'm a little surprised you know of this." The heiress confessed. Korra snorted and crossed her arms.
"Yeah well, it's not everyday you almost get run over by a large car with 'Sato' written all over it." At this, Asami felt herself blush in embarrassment, only adding fuel to the other's fire.
"Oh yeah, big hunk of metal like that couldn't stand up to a little earthbending-"
"So you did flip that car?" Asami couldn't help but chuckle, shaking her head. Korra shrugged her shoulders and said nothing else about the subject, looking the heiress up and down quickly. The nonbender raised a brow and cleared her throat, bringing the startling blue eyes back up to her face with a sheepish grin to match.
"You know, I still feel rotten for nearly runni-"
"Nearly?" Korra scoffed playfully, which caused Asami to laugh as she began to put her helmet back on.
"Okay, since I ran you over I feel terrible. I was thinking... dinner? Say eight tonight?"
"Do you pick up all your dates like this, Miss Sato?" The Avatar teased, watching with growing interest as the heiress got back on her moped. "Running them down in the streets? I'll admit, it's a first for me."
'Oh it won't be the only first you'll have.' She thought with a devilish grin. She looked Korra up and down briefly, letting her eyes linger for a second before pulling her goggles down in place.
"Only the ones I think are cute. I'll have a car pick you up, so don't be late." And with that, the heiress started her engine and rode off, a feeling of elation rolling over her in waves.
She may have been different from the other little girls growing up, but who said being different was a bad thing?