Prenuptial Disagreement
Summary: Modern/AU – No bending. Korra only has 90 days to find a job or marry a citizen of Republic City, otherwise she will be deported back to the Southern Water Tribe. Asami Sato is pressured to find a spouse when she takes the position of President of Republic City. While these seem to be the biggest obstacle of their lives, things take a turn or the worse when the two end up in a contract marriage for a year.
Pairings: Korrasami, Korvira, Baavira
Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End (I)
Korra squeezed her eyes tightly shut as she turned her mailbox key. The metal creaked loudly as she pulled the door open. Carefully, she reached her hand out and placed her palm flat onto the inside of the box. Her shoulder's relaxed upon feeling the cool metal against her warm skin.
"Okay," she sighed, "we're almost there Korra. All you have to do now is move your hand a bit to the side." Korra slowly licked her dry lips and swallowed hard before sliding her hand to the right. She couldn't help but smile when her fingers brushed against the sides of the mailbox. "Alright, just one more small movement and then we're home free."
She slowly shifted her hand in the opposite way, slowly inching across the surface. Her pulse began to quicken, a celebratory meal was being envisioned in her head, and a celebratory heel click (to be executed when no one would be around) was itching to be released, before her fingers touched paper.
A loud scratching sound filled the air. Korra's eyes snapped open and she turned her head to the left to see the landlord removing the needled of his record player from a record to pick it up and flip it over. Korra exhaled before turning her attention back to her mailbox. Her fingers were lightly touching a white envelope.
"This could easily be a bill, Korra," she said. She pulled the envelope out of the mailbox, closed the metal door, and twisted her key to lock the compartment. "A bill would be the best thing to have in my hand right now."
She clasped the envelope in between her palms, closed her eyes once more, and began to pray as her life depended on it. Although, she grew up in the Southern Water Tribe, she didn't really connect with the idea of spirituality and things of the like. However, she called upon every higher being she was taught while home-schooled, desperately hoping they would answer her call.
Korra took in a deep breath before opening her eyes and turning over the envelope in her hands. At first, she could only force herself to admire the stamp, before shifting her gaze to her name and address, and then finally to the top left hand corner, where her nightmare began: Republic City Homeland Security.
"I can read, Korra, thank you," Kuvira said in a monotone as Korra, for the fourth time, harshly pointed at the title at the top of the letter she was reading. Once again, Kuvira started to re-read the first line of the letter:
To Korra, resident of Yue Lake Apartments,
It has come to our attention that-
Kuvira quickly reached up and grabbed a hold of Korra's finger, capturing it in a tight grip. Korra winced before pouting. She then let out another cry of agony as Kuvira's fingers tightened the more she read the letter. Upon reaching the end of the document, Kuvira released Korra's finger, sitting straight up from the couch.
"This isn't good," Kuvira announced as she finished reading the letter. She carefully folded it back up and slipped it back into the envelope before placing it onto the coffee table.
"You think?!" Korra shouted. She collapsed onto a nearby chair and slapped her hands against her face. "Maybe I can knock myself out. Then when I wake up, this will all be a dream."
"There are a few problems with that plan. The biggest one is that you will end up subconsciously stopping yourself from knocking yourself out." Kuvira plucked a newspaper from the coffee table, unfolded it and resumed reading the article she was in the middle of reading when Korra broke the news to her. "Now, if it were me, you'd be gone in two seconds and then wake up a month later thinking you just randomly fell asleep."
Korra groaned. "I'm glad you're enjoying this." She had clasped her hands over her face, her voice ending up muffled as a result.
"Someone has to." Kuvira snorted.
Korra got up from the chair and snatched the newspaper out of Kuvira's hands. Ignoring her glare, Korra quickly crumbled up the paper into a large ball before tossing it over her shoulder. "This isn't funny, Kuvira!"
"I never said it was." Kuvira laced her fingers together, placed them behind her head, and leaned against the back of the couch. "Though, I wouldn't have to deal with your cockiness anymore."
"You didn't complain about that last night." Korra collapsed onto the empty seat next to her. She reached out and pinched the end of Kuira's nose. "In fact, I seem to remember someone singing my praises so loudly that it woke up our lovely neighbors," she added, raising an eyebrow and smirking.
Kuvira exhaled slowly before shifting her eyes to the right, sending her a harsh glare "I can't stand you, you know that?" she muttered.
"Oh, you love me and you know it," Korra said brightly. Kuvira grunted.
The two sat in silence. Occasionally it would be disrupted by Naga's barking down in the grassy area behind the apartment building. The landlord was kind enough to build a giant shed for Naga to use as a place to sleep.
Korra reached out and took ahold of Kuvira's hand. She then squeezed it tightly, waiting patiently for Kuvira to give her all her attention. "I'm worried," Korra admitted. While her voice is normally loud, strong, and stable, she had spoken very softly that Kuvira almost had to rely on reading her lips to comprehend what was being said.
Kuvira slowly exhaled through her nose, before half-smiling. "Don't be, I'll think of something," she reassured her. "Go take Naga for a walk and clear your head."
Korra made a sound of agreement before jumping up from her seat on the couch. Kuvira glanced across the room and grumbled to herself when she spotted the crumbled-up newspaper nestled against a small stack of firewood. She couldn't help but gasp when she felt Korra's lips on her cheek. Turning her head, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion before Korra pressed a light kiss to her lips.
"I love you." Korra smiled warmly.
Kuvira glanced down at Korra's lips before shifting her gaze back up, before smirking. "You're okay," she said. Korra playfully tugged on the end of Kuvira's long braid before sauntering towards the door.
"I love you, too," Kuvira called out before the door closed.
Korra quickly sat up in bed when the smell of bacon, eggs, and pancakes wafted up her nose. She hissed at the bright sunlight filtering in through the window. Yawning loudly and then scratching the back of her neck, she forced herself out of bed and headed towards the bathroom.
"Too early for sun but perfect for pancakes," she rasped. After relieving herself and washing her hands, she glanced at her reflection. Dark bags pulled against the bottom of her eye lids, and her hair was pointing in all directions. Korra didn't get much sleep last night, and stayed up late watching movies so as to not wake Kuvira earlier than she'd like. She learned that the hard way the first time the two had shared a bed a few years ago, when Korra had slept over. Kuvira could be grumpy at times, but she's worse than Korra when she is woken up before her alarm.
Korra exited the bedroom and walked over to the kitchen, catching the tail end of a conversation Kuvira was having on her phone. Korra leaned against the doorway, studying the way Kuvira was leaning against the kitchen counter, a gentle smile played on her lips. She looked softer and much more feminine than Korra is used to seeing. Of course, she catches glimpses of it during their date nights where she makes sure to show Kuvira with attention and affection.
"Korra's up so I have to go. I'll talk to you later," Kuvira said before pressing the END button on her cell phone. She placed it into her pocket before picking up two plates and putting them at the table.
"How'd you know I was up?" Korra questioned.
"You stopped snoring, plus whenever you enter the room it kind of smells like rain."
"Was that lover boy on the phone?" Korra asked as she plopped into her seat. She smiled happily at the food, mentioned her thanks to Kuvira, before cutting into her pancakes.
"Yes, it was Baatar," Kuvira muttered.
"Should I be worried?" she chuckled. Kuvira paused into cutting a piece of sausage from her plate. She knew that Korra was joking, but this joke tends to come up from time to time when Kuvira mentions his name. No matter how many times she must reassure her girlfriend that nothing is going on between the two of them, Korra
"No," Kuvira said firmly. "There's nothing going on between us." She resumed cutting her food into portions before dropping her fork and taking a bite. "His family was nice enough to take me in as a kid. Who knows how I'd end up if that hadn't happened?"
"Probably the same," Korra commented. She had pulled her feet up into her chair and rested her plate on top of her knees. "…just power hungry and needing to control things. So, really, the same." She smiled.
"Ha, ha." Kuvira rolled her eyes. "Anyway, he gave me an idea on how to keep you here."
Korra's smile faded. She glanced out the window as the sun peeked in-between the numerous buildings along the skyline. "Only eight-nine more days," she sighed.
"Check this out." Kuvira handed her a neatly folded newspaper. Korra placed her plate onto the table and wiped her hands on her pantlegs, to Kuvira's disgust, before unfolding the paper to the front page. Korra's eyes scanned the headline, slowly growing more wide with each passing word.
"…The president of Republic City…is seeking applications…for a spouse?" she asked. "President Asami Sato?"
"The very one," Kuvira snorted.
"Why?"
"Something about needing to be married to rightfully accept the position of presidency, because it is a long-standing tradition and blah, blah, blah." Kuvira quickly finished her breakfast before leaning back in her chair, a warm mug of coffee tightly gripped in her hands. "As if a woman can't run things without a partner. Single moms do it all the time."
"Sometimes, not by choice," Korra pointed out. She studied the photo of Asami Sato on the front page. It was a photo she had seen numerous times. Upon announcing her bid to become city president her face was plastered all over the city. Of course, there is also the accomplishment of becoming the CEO of a company by the time she was twenty. Now, at twenty-two, she is the youngest person to assume office, and the first woman.
"Someone as pretty as her will probably have tons of suitors. To be that pretty you probably already know that you're pretty." Korra commented. She picked up the newspaper and held it in her left hand, before pointing at the picture with her right. "I mean, look at this. Makeup perfect, no piece of hair out of place, clothes wrinkle free…why would people put up with that? They should have a real girl, like me."
"You're the only person I know who purposely cuts off the sleeves to her shirts," Kuvira muttered. "If that's not real then I don't know what is."
"I don't cut them off." Korra rolled her eyes. She then made a big show of flexing her arms. "They fall off due to my amazing physique." She stuck her tongue out at Kuvira when she let out a bark of laughter. "Anyway, what was Jr's idea?"
Kuvira looked at Korra, giving her time to put two and two together. Korra just stared back at her. "You put in an application, be selected, and marry President Sato," she said slowly.
Korra continued to stare at Kuvira for ten seconds before bursting into laughter. Kuvira shrugged before resuming her breakfast. She waited patiently for Korra to calm herself down, which took about five minutes. Every time she had stopped laughing, she would look at the newspaper and then erupt into a fresh fit of giggles.
"You know…normally, I don't think you're funny, but that one takes the cake."
"I'm actually being serious," Kuvira insisted.
Korra quickly stopped laughed. She leaned forward and peered closely at Kuvira's face, who regarded her with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah, you have your serious face on," Korra sighed. "You want me to marry President Sato?"
"A contract marriage," Kuvia said. "You said she was pretty."
"Yeah, but she also looks stuffy and stuck up." She frowned at the photo. "And why are you pushing this?"
"You may be deported in ninety days," Kuvira reminded her. She held up a finger to show that she was going to count her numerous points.
"Eighty-nine."
Kuvira continued, raising a second finger. Her voice got a bit louder. "You can't hold down a job to save your life-"
"It's not my fault no one can match with my skill and speed," Korra interjected.
Kuvira practically shoved three fingers into Korra's face, who flinched and leaned back to regain some of her personal space. "And you don't have any health insurance!"
"It's not my fault we have healers where I'm from."
"More like witch doctors," Kuvira snapped.
"Hey," Korra roared, "don't diss my people."
Kuvira's frustrations quickly faded. Talking negatively about Korra's family or her culture was the quickest way to get on her bad side. She was fiercely loyal to her roots, even if it meant not understanding or agreeing with some of the industrialization of Republic City.
"I'm sorry that I upset you," Kuvira apologized. "I didn't mean it. But, at least think about it." She waited as Korra relaxed in her seat. "There are so many benefits you can gain from this. I mean, you can easily get it annulled in a year. Plus, it's not like past presidents haven't been divorced. Apparently ex-President Raiko and his wife may be calling it quits soon."
Korra remained silent as she pondered Kuvira's words. Kuvira took this as the time to get up and rinse off her plate before placing it into the dishwasher. "What about you?" Korra asked.
Kuvira glanced at Korra over her shoulder. "What about me?"
"You know what I mean."
"The one thing I like about you, is that you always worry about other people. It shows that you care," Kuvira said in a hushed tone. "You always put others before yourself. For once, put yourself first. This may be your only out." Her voice sounded as if she were almost pleading. Korra normally would poke fun at this moment of weakness, but getting Kuvira to open and show her vulnerable side is like pulling teeth. Sometimes, it's nice to watch because it makes her more human. "Just think about it."
"Why-"
"Because then I won't have to worry about you every time you step out the front door." Kuvira shrugged. "Plus, it's not like this will be anything serious. Like I said, by contract only. You're still mine." She smiled.
Korra sucked in a breath when she saw Kuvira smile. The action always makes her melt. "Fine, I'll think about it," Korra sighed. "But I don't have to like it."
AN: Please follow new fanfiction twitter, AngelofStarzFFN to stay up to date on new stories and chapters!