Wild Night, Morning After
"I just… I just thought we had something, you know? It felt like it, anyway."
"Believe me, Asami," Korra said, frowning as she poured herself another cup of rice wine. "I know the feeling."
"I mean, being dumped, yeah, that's happened to me before and all," Asami said as she took another long sip, both of the friends mutually and silently agreeing not to speak of exactly how that had happened, "but not like this. Like, you met the guy, right? Was I crazy?"
"Nah, I thought he was pretty cool," Korra said, shrugging. "But then again, I'm not really the person to talk to about guys. But hey," she continued, trying a smile, "I guess this means Future Industries is on the up-and-up again, if you're getting gold-diggers knocking at your door!"
Asami laughed, finding it much nicer than crying, which she'd been doing for what felt like the last two hours straight. Luckily Korra had figured out something was up, ripped her door off its hinges and declared that they were going to drink until they couldn't even remember the name of the jerk who'd dumped Asami earlier that day.
"Thanks, Korra," she said, smiling. "I really needed something like this. You're a great friend, you know that?"
"Well, I don't know about that," Korra replied, a faint blush on her cheeks. "I've made more than a few mistakes. If anything, you're an even better friend for not running away screaming."
Asami laughed, and Korra was glad to see her green eyes bright with something other than tears.
"Hey, we all have our problems," Asami said, taking another sip and sighing. "Think about who you're talking to. I finally managed to get visitation permission, and my dad doesn't even want to see me."
"Hey," Korra said firmly, reaching over and placing a hand under Asami's chin, tilting her head up to face her. "We're not talking about depressing stuff right now, remember? That can wait for when we're hungover."
"Or never," Asami said, but at least she smiled again. And then she became acutely aware of just how close she was to Korra, the feeling of her warm breath against her face heightened by the wine warming her blood. Korra seemed to be thinking the same thing, because they both coughed awkwardly and looked away at the same time—a moment that was quickly followed by each of them breaking out into a giggling fit.
"We're ridiculous," Korra said, before moving her eyes skyward and gasping. "Look at those, Asami. This is why I love the Solstice."
Korra flopped down on her back to get a better view of the ribbons of light in the sky, and it wasn't long before Asami had moved over to lie down next to her.
"They really are beautiful," Asami breathed, smiling again as she felt her worries just melting into the air. "We really need to do this more often, or my hair's gonna start turning gray at work."
"Can't let that happen," Korra said, shifting her eyes over to Asami for a moment. "I like it just the way it is."
Asami kept her eyes skyward, but Korra smiled as she saw red rising on her cheeks again. Turning her attention back to the lights in the sky, the Avatar reached up towards them and grinned. The natural beauty of the Spirit World being reflected back into the Human World was one of the many reasons Korra was glad she had left the portals between them open.
"Hey, Korra," Asami said a few moments later, sounding slightly concerned. "Is it just me, or are the lights getting closer?"
Korra blinked, trying to clear her focus. Yeah, she thought blearily, the lights were getting closer. Or maybe her vision was just getting wonky? Weird.
A few heartbeats later, a warm feeling spread to envelope her entire body, completely different from the feeling of the rice wine. And then everything went dark—but Korra could still feel the gentle, comforting pressure of Asami's hand holding her own as the rest of the world slipped away.
"Uggghhh," Korra groaned, her hand reflexively grasping her forehead as she became vaguely aware of both sunlight and the smell of fresh-cut stone. "I feel like I got hungover enough for the both of us. You awake, Asami?"
"I wish I wasn't," came a groan from next to her, and Korra was relieved despite the pounding in her head.
"At least we're both together," the Avatar said. "I have no idea what happened, but I thought I'd lost you."
"Nope," Asami said, pushing herself to her feet with another groan. "Still he— oh, wow. Korra, I think you need to see this," she continued, the tone of her voice shifting to completely shocked awe.
"What?" Korra asked tiredly, bracing herself against a stone wall—wait, what?—and shoving herself to her feet. "Where are we?"
"Ba Sing Se," Asami said slowly, still not believing her eyes. "What on earth did you put into that rice wine, Korra?"
"I didn't do nothin'," the Avatar said, finally opening her eyes and shielding them with her hand against the noonday sun. "I feel like Naga ran me over, though."
"Korra, this is serious," Asami said, fortunately now feeling completely sober. "However this happened, we just got sent halfway around the world. And it… feels different. I don't like this at all, Korra," she finished, sounding more than a little afraid.
Setting aside her discomfort, Korra reached over and put one of her arms around Asami's shoulders.
"Hey, I'm here, remember?" she said. "I'll keep you safe."
Asami smiled, and Korra could feel the tension in her shoulder muscles relaxing beneath her hand.
"Thanks," she said, before her stomach rumbled and she frowned. "Guess the trip took a lot out of me. Let's go get something to eat."
"That sounds like the best idea I've ever heard," Korra agreed, and the two friends limped their way out into one of the main streets of Ba Sing Se.
"This is so weird," Asami commented as they walked, trying to find the nearest teahouse. "There're no trains anywhere, or any Sato Mobiles. I can't even see any power lines. What's going on here?"
"I wish I knew," Korra answered, one of her hands rubbing her belly, "but I do know I won't be able to think straight until I eat, like, two hundred bowls of noodles. Maybe three hundred."
The street they were on finally ended at a large teahouse, and Korra sprinted towards the door.
"Finally!" she exclaimed, barely skidding to a halt to avoid both leaving Asami behind, and breaking down the door. Once Asami had caught up a few moments later, Korra opened the door and walked in.
"Welcome to the Jasmine Dragon," a warm, friendly voice called out, one that Korra found oddly familiar but couldn't quite figure out why. "Please, make yourselves at home."
"Thanks," the Avatar said with a wave, half paying attention to her surroundings as she moved slowly over to the nearest table and slumped into a chair, before resting her forehead on the table with a sigh.
"I hate everything right now," the Avatar groaned, while Asami looked deep in thought.
"Why does that name sound so familiar…?" she mused, looking around and trying to get a sense of things.
A few moments later, they were approached by a server who looked just a few years older than them, wearing a plain apron and green, Earth Kingdom garb.
"You two look like you had a rough night," he said, his voice bright with good humor. "What can I get you?"
"I'll have…" Asami began, turning to face her server, before she saw his face and her mouth dropped open in shock. "Holy shit."
The server laughed out loud this time.
"That might not taste very good," he teased, his amber eyes bright in spite of the scar on one side of his face. "How about some pork buns instead?"
"That… that would be wonderful, thank you," Asami somehow managed to force out, her brain still scrambling to make sense of what her world had somehow become. "You… you're Fire Lord Zuko."
"On vacation, technically," Zuko said with a smile, "but yeah, that's me. Worst kept secret employee in the Earth Kingdom." He looked over at Korra, frowning in concern. "Is your friend all right?"
"I'll be fine," Korra said in a half slur, looking up from the table. "I just need tea. And food. Lots of food." She looked up at Zuko, her eyes squinting. "Hey, Asami. He's cute. Ask him if he's single."
Asami sputtered and choked, turning red once again.
"Please, don't pay any attention to my friend at all, Sir," Asami said quickly, while Zuko just grinned. "She did have a pretty rough night, and we're… not from around here," she finished lamely, figuring that sounded better than 'We're from the future and you're old and wrinkly where we come from, not really, really attract—'
No. Not going there. No no no no no.
Asami Sato wanted to die.
"Okay then, you'll have to tell me that story sometime," Zuko said, before turning and walking back towards the kitchen. "Katara, help these two out, would you?"
The sound of that name was enough to drag Korra almost back to full attention, her eyes widening.
"Sure thing, your Highness," came the reply, laced with teasing humor. Zuko laughed, before disappearing into the kitchen.
A few moments later, Korra and Asami were joined at their table by a young, smiling Waterbender.
"Yeah, you look like you saw some things last night," Katara said with a chuckle. "Hang on, this should do the trick." She drew some water into her hands from the pouch at her waist, bringing it up to float near Korra's temples. The water pulsed with energy a moment later, and Korra could feel the haziness in her head dissipate.
"Ahhh, that's the stuff," Korra sighed, blinking. "Thanks. Y'know, I know someone named Katara," the Avatar continued, looking over at her rescuer. "But she's a lot older than you. Same hair loopy things, though," Korra noted, her eyebrows furrowing. "Weird."
"Korra," Asami said, her voice a cross between a hiss and a whisper, "that is Katara."
Korra looked from Katara to Asami and back to Katara, blinking again.
"Pssshhhh, nah," the Avatar said at last, waving a dismissive hand. "That's not her. This one's all young and pretty and stuff."
"Uhh, thanks… I guess?" Katara said, looking very confused. "Have a good lunch, you two." She got up and left the table, throwing one last confused glance back over her shoulder as she went.
"Korra," Asami said urgently, taking her friend's face in her hands and looking her in the eyes, "I need you to listen to me very, very carefully right now. Are you listening?"
"Your eyes are really pretty," Korra said. "How come I never noticed that before?"
Asami groaned, wondering if this was a side-effect of Katara's healing.
"Korra," Asami tried again, keeping her voice low, "I think we went back in time."
"That's impossible," Korra said. "Can we talk about your eyes some more instead? I mean, wow."
"Korra, now is not a good time," Asami insisted, even as some part of her was flattered by the compliment. "Yesterday was the Solstice. You're always talking about how anything can happen on the Solstice, right?"
"Well, yeah," Korra said, taking a moment to wave her hands abstractly. "Spirit magic! It's crazy, Asami."
"I'm beginning to figure that out," Asami said, trying desperately not to just start running around the teahouse like the crazy person she thought she was becoming. "Look. Okay. Let's just assume that, hypothetically, we did get sent back in time. Maybe. Just imagine."
"Okay," Korra said, smiling hazily. "Imagining is fun."
"I liked you better when you were hungover," Asami said, before reminding herself there were serious things to discuss at the moment. "So if we did get sent back in time, how long would it take for the Spirit World and Human World to come close enough together to let us do it again?"
"Well, obviously it would take the next Solstice, duh," Korra said, looking at Asami like it was the most natural thing in the world. "That's Avatar Stuff 101, Asami. Your hands feel nice," she mused, her eyes closing.
"No, no you are not zoning out on me right now," Asami said sharply, moving her hands away and snapping her fingers right in Korra's face. "Focus, Korra."
"Okay, you meanie," the Avatar said sounding like a petulant six-year-old. "I'm focusing."
Asami was about to say something else, but she was cut off by the sensation of a sudden gust of wind and the sound of a loud, cheery laugh entering the Jasmine Dragon.
"Oh man, it is great to be back," an enthusiastic voice called out. "You have no idea how much of a grind those diplomatic meetings are."
"Actually, buddy," Zuko said to his good friend as the newcomer took a few more steps in and leaned his staff against the wall, "I do. Fire Lord, remember?"
"Yeah, but man, Zuko. This was even worse than usual."
Zuko laughed.
"Let me pour you a round and we can complain about it together. Sound good?"
"Sounds fantastic," Aang sighed, before he looked over and saw Korra and Asami sitting at their table. "Oh hey, new people! How's it going over there?"
The gust of wind seemed to have snapped Korra out of whatever trance she was in, and she stared at Aang with a stunned look on her face.
"Is that… is that who I think it is?" she asked, sounding mildly horrified. "Asami, please, please tell me that isn't who I think it is."
"Oh," Asami said, "it totally is, Korra."
Korra was silent for one more moment, and then she spoke the word that was on both of their minds.
"Fuck," she breathed, and Asami nodded.
"It's going to be a very interesting three months," she said wearily, as Zuko walked over with two mugs of tea. "And I'm spending every day of it sober."
"Damn right," Korra said, waiting until Asami was drinking her tea before she spoke again.
"I did mean what I said about your eyes, though."
Asami sputtered and spit her tea onto the table, flushed red all over again.
"I hate you," she half-croaked, while Korra laughed and quickly lifted the tea off the table before someone else came over to take care of it.
"No, you don't," the Avatar said, smiling. "Don't worry, Asami. Like I said, I'll keep you safe. I promise."
"I'm holding you to that," Asami said, and they shared a weary, but genuine, smile.
…
…
A/N: This was me at my most cracky, and I regret nothing at all. I had a ton of fun writing this, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as well! Thanks for giving this a look! Let me know if you liked it, too, if you wouldn't mind. I'm knocking around some ideas for more possible parts to this story (read: shenanigans aplenty), and knowing what you all liked or didn't like makes that easier.
See you next time,
JP