"Asami," Korra said weakly.
The young Avatar's fist, once loosened, clenched. Korra fought to say more. She needed to say a lot more to Asami then just her name.
"I've been wanting to say something to you for a long while now." Korra eyes trailed down towards the bathroom floor. "I just don't know how to say it." The young Avatar smirked, uncomfortably.
The memories of her and Asami that night kept reappearing in her mind. Her fight for words was becoming even more difficult to win. To afraid to stop watching the floor below her, she never looked up at Asami, "Asami I... the things we did that night..." Korra gripped the back of her neck with her right hand as she tried to explain, "That night I had felt like I was nothing." Korra cleared her throat some. "The night that I had felt like I was no one's savior. It changed me." Korra began to blush a little. "You changed me," Korra said. "You made me feel," Korra's face begun to slowly rise, "like—"
"Don't," Asami interrupted.
Korra froze.
A tear begun to travel down Asami's right cheek, "Don't." Asami continued. She turned away from Korra, "Please, don't confess," she whispered.
"But...We", Korra struggled, "You and me. You—"
Korra's couldn't keep herself from fidgeting. She lowered her head. Her breathing began to sound like it was becoming a task.
"Korra." The Young Avatar looked up. "You needed me." Korra's eyes shot open in disbelief as water, quicker then any stream, filled them. "I never intended for you to think anything of it afterwards," Asami continued. Korra legs trembled at the words. "I'm sorry, Korra."
Allowing gravity to take a hold of them, she fell to the ground kneeling. Asami turned. She looked down at the young Avatar state of despair. Korra raised her arms up. She placed her right hand on her right eyelid and her left hand on left, silently crying. She couldn't breath. She chocked on each and every tear she spilled from her eyes down into her mouth. Asami began to walk over towards the young Avatar.
"As if," Korra tore her hands away from her eyes, Asami stopped, "the weight of being the Avatar," Korra looked up, glared at Asami, and screamed, "WAS NOT ENOUGH." Asami jumped at Korra's sudden outburst. Korra's fist, once clenched, loosened. She fought her way from gravities grip and stood. She whipped her eyes with her forearm, panted heavily before she turned around. Korra walked a little towards the exit of Narook's Seaweed Noodlery's bathroom before completely running out. Asami closed her eyes afraid that the more she looked the less of Korra she'll see.
Korra ran faster then she ever ran out of the restaurant, ignoring all around her, even Mako and Bolin's shouts of concern couldn't catch her. Mako stood up from off his chair, "What the hell," he looked down at his brother Bolin, "what was that about?" he asked.
Bolin shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe she had forgotten something that was really important back at the Air Temple or something," Bolin suggested.
No!
Mako thought.
That's not it. That's not it at all. Those were tears in her eyes that I saw. Korra was crying.
"ASAMI," Bolin shouted.
Asami walked towards her stepbrother's. Her head lowered to the ground as she made her right hand hold up her left arm for support. Mako walked up towards his sister. They both stopped once near. He stared at her some before saying anything hoping that she'd speak first. She didn't.
"Asami," Mako said softly. He touched her left shoulder, squeezed it gently and asked, "What happened?" Asami looked up. Her eyes met his, unknowingly confessing. Mako pulled his hand back quicker then Korra's image leaving Asami's line of sight. "You didn't?" Asami's eyes shifted back to where it first was. She moved over to the left side of Mako and walked away. Mako never looked back to see her leave.
Bolin got up from out of his chair. He walked towards his brother, placed his arm around his shoulders and pulled him near. "So," Bolin said, "I guess me ordering something to eat would be a bit—" Mako pulled away from Bolin and walked away. "Hey Mako," Bolin shouted as he followed behind his brother. "You know me. I was just kidding."
It has yet to fade, Korra's anger, Bolin could still see it seeping through. The more Korra punched the punching bag that hung in the gym the more of Korra's rising anger Bolin seen. Bolin couldn't believe it. Korra's been punching that same bag for almost two hours now. She has yet to show any hint of weariness. Korra just kept punching.
She's going to tear right through it.
Bolin grabbed onto his stomach and squeezed it tight. He placed his hands on both his pockets, patting himself down.
Empty.
"Korra."
Korra punched harder.
"Korra."
Korra punched even harder.
"KORRA."
The young Avatar punched much harder then before causing the bag to rip. "WHAT," Korra screamed, turning towards Bolin.
Bolin raised both of his hands towards his mouth covering them as if he said something wrong. He stared at the punching bag that was once alive, now lifeless, for some time before observing it's murderous. "Oh," Bolin said, as he withdrew some, "nothing." Bolin looked up at the clock that hung up on the wall to the left of him, "Oh, will you look at the time." Korra looked. "Its getting pretty late, don't you think," He chuckled nervously. Korra looked back at Bolin. She saw his hands fidget some. Bolin saw. He saw her see him and rushed his hands behind his back.
"You're acting weird," she admitted.
Bolin walked towards Korra, looked at her, and smirked, "You just murdered that bag there." Korra viewed the punching bag. It no longer looked as it first did when she had first encountered it. She smiled awkwardly. "How am I to act, after seeing that?" He reached out for her hands. She did not retreat. He took off her boxing gloves and slowly unwrapped her boxing wraps that she wore under them, "I just witness a murder here," he said in between laughter. "We should go to the noodle joint and get something to eat. I know you worked yourself up an appetite." Bolin looked back at the clock again, "Its not that late," then back at Korra, "It should still be open, don't you think?"
"No." Korra pulled away from Bolin and turned to go pick up her gym bag, "I'm going home," she said. Last nights rejection, Korra thought, would just play all over again in her mind, if she were to go back to that place. It's been difficult enough for Korra to forget about how Asami kissed Korra's lips so sudden and unexpected, how Asami trailed Korra's lips with her own tongue, and how she licked the tears that fell from Korra's cheeks. Korra shook her head, in an attempt to shake out such a memory. Bolin interceded, picking up Korra's bag. Her eyes, she kept them low, shoving Bolin gently out of her way. "Fine," she said.
"Good." Bolin placed Korra's bag around his shoulder, "Could dinner be on you though?" Bolin dug his hands into his pockets, "I'm sort of running on empty."
"No."
"Oh, come on. Please."
"No."
Bolin and Korra stepped inside Bolin's favorite restaurant, The Narook's Seaweed Noodlery, the same restaurant that held the bathroom where Asami rejected Korra. The hostess, an old short white woman, whose right cheek displayed a big black mole on it, walked up towards them. She wore a red dress that looked to share the same age as she, whatever age that was.
"Good evening," the old women politely said.
"Good evening to you too Vendra," Bolin said with a smile.
"Ahh...yes, Bolin. It is always a pleasure to see you." Vendra looked over at Korra, "I see you brought your friend." Korra smiled and waved. Vendra gave Bolin a side-glance. "I assume she's going to be the one that'll be receiving the check this evening."
"Ahhhh," Bolin scratched the back of his neck, "well."
"Yup," Korra said. "Pretty much."
"I see," The old women placed her hand behind Korra's lower back, "I'll lead you to your table Madam." Korra walked with her. Bolin did too before being cut off by the older women. She stepped in front of Bolin leaving him to walk behind Korra and her. She led Korra to the upper level, "You'll get a better view of the place up here Madam."
Korra looked around. "Thank you. This is lovely, Vendra. You honor me."
Vendra's lips formed a smile towards the young Avatars appreciation, "You are very welcome Madame." Korra went to go take a seat. "Please," Vendra said. She pulled Korra's seat out, "allow me."
Korra beamed at Vendra's kindness, before taking a seat. "Why, thank you."
"You're very welcome." Bolin stood up straight near his seat. He waited, clearing his throat. Vendra eyed Bolin for just a second before giving her full attention back to Korra. "So," Vendra said. She clapped her hands together, "I'll go get you your waiter, Madam."
"Sure thing," Korra said before Vendra walked off. "Wow, that lady is something else, isn't she?" Bolin, still standing, mumbled some rather disappointing words under his breath. Korra smirked at his pain as he sat his self down himself. "I'm glad I'm paying."
"What is that suppose to mean?" Bolin asked.
"Well, if it was you instead of me," Korra looked down at the lower level, "we would've been sitting down their, instead of here." Korra laughed.
Bolin smiled.
She laughs.