Couldn't take it anymore, had to write this idea that came to me. None of Korra or Avatar belongs to me.
This is a shorter chapter to kick things off. Hope you stick around.
Korrasami is ruining my life.
Korra hears the news and uncertainty floods her mind then slithers into her gut, coiling with sickening pressure. Her lips part, pained and confused, and she finds she cannot speak. Not now, anyway. Her brain shorts and stutters through the words filtering through the phone–Asami. Hospital.
No.
Suddenly volition spikes through her chest as she realizes exactly where she needs to go, right now.
"I'll be right there–" Korra slams the phone down in her haste and speeds toward the bay with one woman on her mind. One friend. Korra finds her spot, leaps, flourishes, and finally connects with the water and sinks in, propelling herself through the water with empowered strokes toward the surface.
It's dark out. Korra is surrounded by black waves, keening, crashing, and shining with the city lights and stars all around but so far away. Quickly, she bends a small boat of ice and reaches her arms out toward the city and pulls, desperate to get closer.
Asami plagues her every thought.
Her throat seizes–that fear again–so she grits her teeth against the tear, pulling and reaching harder, harder into the tide for the speed she needs.
After barreling into the hospital, intent on continuing her barreling all the way to Asami's room, Korra realized she had no idea where her friend was. Brow tense with stress, Korra located the front desk and demanded the room number for "she", then "Asami", and finally "Ms. Sato!".
Maybe this is a good sign, that I can see her immediately. That meant they weren't doing anything extreme, Asami could be just fine–Korra's thoughts paused as she nearly breezed past Asami's room. Flexing her arms and hands with a deep breath, Korra prepared herself to support Asami, whatever she needed. Hell, maybe she could help the doctors heal her. Another shaky breath and the Avatar stepped into the room, immediately zeroing in Asami and the situation at hand.
For the many beats that she stood just past the threshold, ears picking up nothing save the physician's fervent scribbling, Korra could not breathe. She wasn't prepared for this, or anything that involved Asami and sick. Korra barely registered her own lips gently calling out to the prone woman.
"Asami.." The doctor looked up, but Asami did not move. Sleeping.
The doctor blinked. Twice. "Avatar Korra?"
Korra failed to reply as she tentatively approached Asami's bed. After a few seconds of flipping, Asami's doctor sighed and looked at Korra again.
"Ah...You're one of her approved visitors, according to the records. Okay. Was the situation explained to you over the phone, or?"
All Korra wanted was to go to Asami, just to see her breathe and hold her hand and tell her she'll be alright. At the woman's inquiry, Korra shifted her attention and responded with a quick shake of her head. Her voice was not trustworthy at the moment.
"I'm Doctor Chen by the way. Sit, please."
The Avatar pulled the nearby chair closer to Asami's bedside, hopelessly clenched her fists to rid herself of some tension, and sat.
"Ms. Sato fell ill in her office today–one of her employees brought her here." Korra nodded. It had been June, Asami's assistant, the one who'd contacted her.
"I will be honest with you. We need to wait and continue our tests before we can offer you any diagnosis, but for now she needs to rest until we can finish those up. There is a specialist coming in tomorrow to take a look at Ms. Sato as well."
The woman pressed her lips together, giving Korra a meaningful look. "Stay with her as long as you like for now. Be patient while we figure out what's going on. It's good she has a friend here at least."
"What's...going on with her now though?" The weakness in her voice was nothing to be despised.
"She's underweight, though it's not too bad, and we had to stop some internal bleeding–which will likely return. There'll be nurses coming in and out to check up. I'll be back in early morning."
With that, Dr. Chen left Korra and Asami alone.
She hadn't had any true expectations, but she had not anticipated something so serious. It was surreal, like one of the fearful thoughts that swirled in that internal maelstrom had actually been a hint at fate. Another nightmare. Korra could not peel her eyes from Asami's pale complexion and contrasting dark tresses, black like the suffocating night. Asami didn't deserve this, whatever it was.