Calm before the storm - Early hours
Awaiting a storm can be terrifying and make you think on things left undone or unsaid.
"Couldn't sleep either?" The voice called to Korra, breaking her out of her deep thoughts as she looked out over the quiet city. The Avatar turned to see her closest friend in the world, Asami Sato, wearing her usual sleepwear; a robe over a nightdress, a contrast to Korra's sleeveless shirt and pyjama trousers.
"Hey Asami, no, couldn't sleep." Korra responded before turning back to the view from the balcony. "Pretty eerie isn't it?" The Avatar commented with a chuckle, mentioning Republic City's current state.
"I know." Asami answered her friend's semi-rhetorical question as she came up to join her at her side. "It's usually so busy and bustling, at least this means we know the evacuation's going well." Korra was at least glad at that, though she was still apprehensive about the coming battle.
"Good point." Korra agreed, glad that they'd be able to avoid civilian casualties. "Thanks for letting me stay here." Air temple Island had gotten pretty hectic with setting up everything for the president's command post.
"No problem, the mansion's pretty crowded with Mako and Bolin's family there." Asami's new penthouse she'd bought had more than enough room for the two of them and a breathtaking view.
"I hope we can win this." The Avatar also hoped that there would be a city left after it was all said and done.
"We always do, don't we." Whilst Asami's words were more or less true, the 'less' part drew out a rather cynical and bitter reply.
"I hope we can win this without anyone being put out of action for a couple years." Korra immediately regretted her words, they made her feel selfish and self-centred; was her own injury and recovery really worse than what others must have suffered at the hands of the villains.
"Right, yeah, sorry." Asami's awkwardness made her friend sigh with guilt.
"I shouldn't have said that." Korra conceded not wanting to make her best friend feel bad
"I shouldn't have said what I did."
"No it's okay." Korra lightly slapped her face and sucked in a deep breath, "I need to stop feeling sorry for myself." She told herself before turning to Asami with a smile on her face.
"Let's look on the upside, we already took out the train tracks, so no spirit ray to worry about." Asami noted with a shrug.
"Yeah, still..." Korra acknowledged her friend's point before trailing off, internally debating something, unsure of what to say.
"Korra, anything you want to talk about." The coming war had every member of Team Avatar on edge, and had brought worries of thing left unsaid to Korra's mind.
"A week and a half to go, then we could all die." The cold truth of that statement was unnerving to Korra, the thought of losing her friends was not pleasant, but it was pertinent.
"Korra, don't think like-" Korra cut off Asami, needing to get this out.
"There's something I need to say." Swallowing to prepare herself, completely unsure of what to expect from her friend when she was done. "Asami, we're good friends and you've always been good and honest to me, helping me however you can."
"I care about you." Asami responded with a shrug, her tone stating the seemingly obviousness of her words. Korra was glad to hear that and felt rather emboldened by it.
"And I care about you, which is why I want you to know..." Korra swallowed, the horrifying images conjured in her mind from what she was about to say. "If both or one of us doesn't make it through this..." The horror of the possibility of standing over Asami's body if she- "You're amazing and I-"
"Korra." Asami interjected, leaning over and kissing the shorter girl. Korra could barely think from the surprise, leaning in just as Asami pulled away, it had only lasted for a few moments despite the feeling of an eternity passing. Korra's eyes fluttered for a moment, her mind trying to process what just happened.
"You mean you too-" Asami hushed Korra with a finger her lips.
"Tell me after we win this." Korra wanted to inject, to say that Asami was being overconfident, that they had to face the reality of the situation; then Asami said something that put her dear Korra at ease. "We will both make it through this." The look in her eyes, the tone of her voice, the complete certainty of survival.
"Okay." Korra agreed with a smile, feeling infected with her dear Asami's confidence. "We could probably get this place to ourselves again afterward, go into detail." Korra mentioned with a smirk and an aside glance to the taller girl, who returned the smirk in kind.
"I look forward to it."