Note: Prompt request from Anne. This is the shortest piece I've written in a long time. As a rule I usually never go below 2,000 words and this guy is sitting at about 1500. But I said everything I wanted to I think. Also I'm considering doing a similar piece for when Korra gave herself up in Enter the Void, let me know if that sounds interesting.
There were clanks of metal on metal and the hiss of a sauntering flame in machinery. The room heated up fast every time Asami or her father clicked on a wielding torch, it was always preceded with a small click as the helmets went down over their faces and Korra averted her eyes.
Asami, Hiroshi, and Varrick were working like cogs. Zhu Li was tinkering in the cockpit. Across the room Lin and Su were adjusting the metal armor on their limbs, and Bolin and Mako were talking. It was the kind of quiet where everyone knew what everyone was thinking, because they were all thinking the same thing.
I don't know if this is going to work.
She wasn't anxious, not in the way she had been before giving herself up to Zaheer. The mantra of I don't want to die, I don't want to die wasn't playing in her head, the sweaty apprehension of why exactly he wanted her chained up, what he'd do with her once she was at his mercy were both absent. The difference was, of course, this had almost nothing to do with Korra, and she liked it that way.
"That should do it," Hiroshi announced, semi muffled behind his mask. He flipped it up and Asami halted her own torch.
"With the power reverting from the suits we'll have only about a 30 second burst once you activate the cutters," Asami said, removing the mask. "The suits will default to emergency power as soon as the saws run out, you'll have 20 seconds to either get to the ground or eject."
"I'll get it done in 10," Varrick said, tossing his torch and mask off to the side with flair. Bolin gave a yelp when the torch reignited on impact and began melting away a nearby table. Korra rolled her eyes.
"Aim for a place we can reach," Korra said, sitting up and walking over.
"Roger captain," Varrick said.
He was as loud and eccentric as ever but he turned and placed a firm hand on her shoulder and squeezed. He meant it. Captain. Korra felt eyes on her from around the room and felt the hum of shared approval.
Okay, I'll be the captain today.
Korra sighed and nodded, giving the hand on her shoulder a slight squeeze before turning away. Hiroshi was already climbing into the bottom cockpit and flicking buttons. Mako and Bolin were headed outside followed by the Beifongs.
"Korra, let's head out," Mako called.
"Just one second, I'll meet you outside," Korra respond.
She and Mako traded a glance for a second. Whatever he was thinking remained a mystery, he nodded, turned, and was disappearing down the hallway.
And off to the side, Asami seemed to be fiddling with something on the table. Stalling, more like. Korra smiled but felt the butterflies of fear gather up as she walked over to her. Somewhere behind them, Varrick and Zhu Li were talking.
Korra stepped behind Asami, who pretended not to notice. She cleared her throat and still nothing. Carefully, Korra extended her arm through the space between them and let her fingertips slightly brush the leather of her jacket and she felt the body underneath tense. She watched the bushel of wavy hair give a bounce as Asami's head dropped slightly and then raised back up, when she finally turned around, Korra saw why.
Though tear streaks were hidden by the light, Asami's eyes were greener than they'd ever been, surrounded by pink. But she was well and content to pretend it was not happening so Korra obliged her, corking any reaction.
"Hey."
That's all Korra could get out. Hey. Just saying hi. Just wanted to see your face, and I think I finally know why. I should probably tell you.
Asami was staring at her like a schematic, she was memorizing her. She was taking in Korra's hair, dusty and tangled, taking in her clothes, wet, matted, torn, a tad blood stained. She was imprinting on every part of Korra her eyes could reach, and Korra gladly gave over ownership of every piece of her body Asami stamped with her eyes.
Arms, hers.
Legs, hers.
Heart, most definitely hers.
She didn't move and didn't say a word. She let Asami scan her and catalogue her because she understood. Finally she ended her endeavor on Korra's eyes. What color does blue and green make? Maybe we'll get a chance to find out…But Asami's eyes were tearing again because she was afraid they wouldn't.
She should have written more letters. They should have sat down and talked before now, they had plenty of moments. Asami wouldn't budge, wouldn't say a word, wouldn't even toe the line. And now Korra wished she'd been so much more impulsive in the hours and days before now.
"I, um…I just wanted to—"
"We're not doing this," Asami said. She blinked one too many times and tear bounced out and sped down. "If you're about to give me a 'just in case' speech, I'm not listening."
"Then why are you still not moving?"
Asami sighed through her nose and closed her eyes. The muscles in her jaw tightened and loosened multiple times.
"Let's talk about something else," Asami said.
"We've got maybe 10 seconds," Korra laughed. Asami let out a half laugh and half sob, but she was smiling too.
"I made an Airsuit for you too you know," Asami said. "You got taller than I thought though. I'll have to retailor it. The aerodynamics don't work properly unless the flaps are perfectly taut, there can't be any drag."
"I'll gladly be your model," Korra said, smiling. She liked when Asami rambled and said words she didn't understand. She liked hearing her talk about all sorts of things that would incredibly boring if not coming from anyone else. She'd listen to Asami talk about physics and engineering and electric work all night long. She wished they had just one more night.
"We were good friends right?" Korra said. "Teaching me to drive, and trekking the desert, and dating the same guy…twice."
Asami let out another laugh.
"Yeah."
"And in other ways too, pushing me around and dressing me and helping me…do everything else," Korra mumbled, cheeks growing a little hot. "You're my best friend and I'm really, really glad we're friends and…well, maybe we'd be good at being other things too."
Had she said that to anyone else they'd be scratching their head but Asami and the thread between them that seemed to channel all sorts of thoughts and emotions, Asami understood. She flushed and then went pale, suddenly finding eye contact an irritant. Her hands twitched a bit and Korra wondered if she was contemplating doing something very, very dumb. Korra wouldn't complain though, she'd probably kiss her back.
"Korra," Asami said. "Listen, if—if things get awful. Don't think that you have to—you're not…"
"Asami."
It was the first time Korra had initiated a touch with her in who knows how long. And if Asami's tiny gasp was any indication, then her stomach did back flips just as much as Korra's when their hands came together.
"I'm not going to run from her," Korra said. "I did that once already."
"Because she almost killed you," Asami said.
Korra just nodded. She couldn't explain, not right this second, just how much something new click inside her. She was not fixed, she probably never would be, but she knew where to begin, she knew how to try. She'd have to send Zaheer a fruit basket when everything was over.
"If things go really, really bad, you all run. I stay put," Korra said and Asami shook her head. "It's who I am. Avatar or just me, standing my ground is who I am."
Asami nodded and then launched forward. Her arms pulled Korra as close as she possible could and Korra hugged her right back, burying her head into the shoulders of the jacket and her hair. She'd remember what this felt like, Asami's back under her splayed out fingers, the hair in her face, that particular brand of sweetness that she was never sure if what perfume or just the natural aura surrounded Asami.
"You stay, I stay. You run I run," Asami whispered, lips so close that they even brushed the skin on her ear for a fleeting moment.
"She can't beat me," Korra whispered. "I invented bending, remember?"
They parted and suddenly the sounds of the room returned, the sound of hummingbird cockpits shutting, footsteps fading, crashing sounds from outside the building.
"If you...if you don't…"
"If she kills me?" Korra finished for her. "Well just make sure you find me in the Earth Kingdom before she does.
And then Korra turned and was gone. She at least knew how make a cool exit.